COLLiSiON
by FFNaru134
Summary: Who says killing is the only life for an assassin? Amidst the chaos of the Third Crusades, TEMPLARS! TIME TRAVELERS! AND TRAITORS! OH MY! And then there's Sonya, putting the fun in funeral and the laughter in slaughter in this twisted tale of a fanfic!
1. Preparation for an exhausting day

So, I'm finally putting this up after months of procrastination. My first ever fanfic~ This chapter jumps around a bit, so it might be a little confusing. BUT IT WILL ALL MAKE SO MUCH SENSE LATER. Or not. We'll see. Also, some of you Baccano! fans out there may notice two characters with uncannily similar names and uncannily similar behavior to a pair of eccentric robbers from the show.

* * *

><p><strong>Preparation for an exhausting day in which the unexpected is to be expected<strong>

_"Hey Isaiah!"_

_"What's that Maria?"_

_"What do you think this machine does?"_

_"Hm… Well, Maria, judging from its odd shape and structure… I deduce that it is a snow cone machine!"_

_"Oh wow! Fire it up!"_

_"What are you guys doing? No! Don't touch that!"_

* * *

><p><strong>2012 AD<strong>

**Abstergo Industries**

"We've done it!" Vidic exclaimed. Lucy stood by his side and stared at the figure now emerging from the machine. She was donned in white robes, with a hooded cape covering her eyes. "At last, we have brought back Subject 11."

"She's grown…" Lucy stated, watching as the figure stumbled out, disoriented.

"Yes, well, it has been fifteen years since we last saw her, Lucy," Vidic replied, stepping towards the woman, now vomiting her guts out onto the floor.

"Is she alright?" Lucy asked, concerned. Vidic simply shrugged.

"It is a common side effect," he answered. "Most of the people who have gone through this machine have had similar experiences."

"How many people have gone through?" Lucy questioned.

"Oh, about five," Vidic replied. "Don't worry, only about four of them died, so there's still a chance that she'll live through this."

Lucy stared in horror as she rushed to help the woman onto her feet and half dragged, half carried her over to the nearest chair. "Are you going to help?" she glared at Vidic. The man simply smiled and went back to his desk, ignoring the two.

"Let me know when she stops spewing her guts onto the floor," he said, "I need to know when to get the clean-up crew." Lucy sighed in exasperation as she helped her into one of the gray cushioned chairs. By this point, she had stopped vomiting and was now sweating profusely. Her skin had turned a ghostly pale as she struggled to stay conscious.

"Breathe, Sonya, breathe," Lucy said soothingly. The woman's head snapped up as she heard her name being called and opened her eyes. She pushed Lucy aside and stepped back towards the wall, drawing her short sword. She took up a fighting stance and shouted something in Arabic. Lucy picked herself up off the ground as Vidic walked past her.

"I believe she's inquiring who we are," he stated, studying her.

"You speak Arabic?" Lucy asked.

"Not in the least," Vidic answered. "However, it is natural for that to be the first question to ask when standing in an unfamiliar room with unfamiliar people." Sonya glared at them as she shouted something else. Lucy stepped towards her slowly with her hands up.

"It's okay Sonya," she said, attempting to calm her down. At the mention of her name, Sonya lunged at her and pinned her to the ground. She spat out more foreign words as she held her blade to her throat. Lucy stared at her one visible eye, since the other one was covered by an eye patch, and tried to think of what to say. Vidic quickly took out his phone and punched in a number.

"We've got a problem," he said softly. "Send in as many men as you've got." Just as he hung up the phone, a team of security guards burst through the doors into the room, all wielding firearms. "Try not to get blood everywhere," Vidic stated moving out of the way. Sonya looked at the newcomers and stared at their strange weapons, but she did not move.

"Step away from the lady and come quietly," said one of the guards. "If you do not cooperate, we will—GAH!" Without letting him finish, Sonya had flung a knife at his shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon. "What're you waiting for?" he growled, clutching the wound in pain. "Shoot her! Shoot her!" The rest of the guards obeyed as they emptied a round of bullets into her. She cried in pain and fell to the floor as they penetrated her body.

"Remember, we need her alive!" Vidic cried as the guards kept firing. Sonya was now sprawled out on the floor, blood seeping out from the wounds. She couldn't move her arms or legs and took short, raspy breaths. A large bullet had just grazed her forehead, leaving a large gash. Her eye patch had fallen off of her right eye, revealing it to be dark red in color. It gleamed brightly as the blood from her head wound slowly found its way into her pupil. "That was a bit excessive," Vidic stated, staring at the mess on the floor. Lucy, now standing beside him, felt sick to her stomach. One of the security guards, the one who had the knife in his shoulder, walked towards the half-dead woman. Leaning down, he stared at her and spat in her face.

"Serves you right, bi—" The guard stared in shock as Sonya pulled her hidden blade out from his neck. He fell to the floor with a loud thump, the life slowly draining from his eyes. Sonya stood slowly, short blade in one hand, her sword in the other. She held the swords in front of her body in a defensive stance, her red eye gleaming brightly.

"Fire! FIRE!" one of the guards yelled, pulling the trigger. The others quickly snapped out of their daze and followed suit. A maelstrom of bullets ravaged the room. Lucy and Vidic quickly found cover from the thousands of tiny projectiles ricocheting all over the place. Sonya was not fazed. Her bloodstained eye followed the path of each bullet, tracking its movements. Her hands were a blur as her blades blocked every single shot that came towards her, sending them flying back to where they came from. The guards fell one by one as they were hit with their own bullets. As the last guard fell to the floor, Sonya quickly charged through the doors and into the hallways. Aggravated, Vidic pulled out his phone and punched in another number.

"Get another unit down here!" he screamed into the receiver. "I want Subject 11 back here, even if she has to come in pieces!"

"Are you kidding me?" Lucy exclaimed. "Did you see what happened just now? She deflected a hurricane of bullets as if it were nothing! Do you really think another unit is going to stop her?" Vidic started to answer when his phone beeped.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked agitated.

"Uh…" the person on the other side said nervously. "Subject 11 just jumped out the window."

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District – Souk Al-Silaah**

"How could you have lost the documents?" he roared at his incompetent lackey.

"I-I don't know! I was sure they were in my satchel when I-" the messenger stuttered before he was struck down by a fist.

"The others will not be pleased with this," the man said as he swore multiple profanities under his breath. He turned to the messenger whimpering on the floor and motioned for the guards to come. "He is of no further use to me."

"Tamir, please!" the messenger cried, "I beg you, have mercy!" A loud guttural sound was heard as the guard's blade penetrated his body and spurts of red liquid sprayed across the ground. As the guard withdrew his blade, the messenger fell to the ground, soaking in a puddle of his own blood. The Black Market merchant paced about his office, muttering to himself as the guards carried away the corpse to be disposed. A small piece of parchment slipped out of the messenger's satchel and fell to the floor.

"Uh… Sir…" One of the guards picked up the slip of parchment and handed it to Tamir. His face turned into a scowl as he scanned the paper. In a neat script, the note read:

_We have stolen these documents in the hope that it will halt all black market activities~_

Tamir crumpled up the parchment and threw it onto the floor. "I want those documents found! I don't care if you have to shake down the entire city! Get to it!" The guards did as told and rushed out of the office into the bustling streets. Tamir rubbed his forehead and sat in a plush chair behind his desk. If those documents weren't found soon, he would be in a very troubling situation. He dared not disappoint the others now, not after last week's incident. The door slowly creaked open and Tamir looked up to see a black robed man standing in the doorway, his face partially covered by his hood.

"Rough day?" he asked in a playful tone, walking towards the desk. Tamir, not amused by this, simply glared at him. The man simply laughed and sat on the edge of the desk. "Don't look at me like that," he sighed. "If looks could kill…"

"What is it you want?" Tamir spat. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not in the best of moods."

"Then let me get to the point," the man said. "You're a day behind. Our plans are slowly coming to a halt because of your incompetence." The man turned to look at a now pale-faced Tamir. "I would have thought that after last week's _incident_, you would be a bit more productive." The man paused for a while, taking in Tamir's reaction. "I think you know what happens to those that slow me down," he stated, hopping off the desk. "I'll check back tomorrow. If you don't pick up the pace," the man made a slicing motion across his neck with his hand, and left.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District – Assassin's Bureau**

The bureau was as welcoming as always. The plush carpets that hung on the walls and the two fountains on opposing sides gave the room an exquisite feel. A group of pillows were placed near the wall, offering respite to weary assassins. The bureau leader's room next door featured a counter with bookcases filled with various pots in different shapes and sizes. There was no other piece of furniture except a small chess table situated in the corner with two chairs next to it.

Two figures entered the main chamber. One was dressed in a white robe, resembling that of a scholar. A sword and a red sash were attached to his belt. Behind him was a similarly dressed woman, though instead of a robe she wore a hooded cape. Beneath this her sword and red sash were attached to her belt. A bright blue eye gleamed under her hood, while the other was hidden by an eye patch.

The rafiq looked up from a piece of parchment he was reading and greeted the two. "Ah! Al Mualim said you would arrive!" He directed his attention to the white robed man, "I had heard you had gotten demoted Altair…" The man stayed silent.

"Yep, now we're both novices!" The woman said cheerily as she put her arm around his shoulder.

The rafiq continued, "A few of your brothers were here earlier in fact. Oh, if you'd heard the things they said, I'm certain you'd have slain them where they stood!"

"It's quite alright," Altair replied, shrugging off the woman's arm.

"Yes, you've never been one for the Creed, have you?"

"Ain't that the truth!" The woman replied.

"Sonya," Altair said, glaring at her. Sonya just ignored him and walked closer to the rafiq.

"So, who exactly are we looking for?" Sonya asked, leaning on the counter.

"Your target is a black market merchant, a man named Tamir," said the rafiq. "It is said that he is the largest black market merchant in all of Damascus. He specializes in arms and armor and runs the largest underground trade in the entire Holy Land."

"Interesting…" Sonya replied, leaning in closer. "I'd like to learn more."

"You can probably pick up some information around the Souk Al-Silaah," the rafiq suggested. "I would suggest you seek out the following places: the small souk north-east of here, the madrasah to our east, and the gardens north of this bureau. Focus on these places and he should become well known to you."

"Well, Altair, I'll leave you to it!" Sonya scaled the wall and exited the bureau, jumping off the side of the building and landing in the streets bellow.

The rafiq laughed as he watched her go. "Looks like you're gonna have your hands full with that one, eh, Altair?"

Altair sighed, "I assume you want me to return to you when this is done?"

The rafiq nodded. "I'll give you Al Mualim's marker, and you'll give us Tamir's life!" Altair turned to leave the bureau when the rafiq said, "Remember Altaïr, should you find yourself in trouble and the city turned against you, return to the Bureau; I can shelter you from the storm. Be warned though; if your enemies are too close, my door will remain closed until you've lost them."

As he climbed on top of the roof, he looked down into the streets in search of his missing partner. He scanned the crowd, but could not locate her. _'Good,' _he thought, _'It would be more of a burden having her around.'_ He dropped down into the crowded streets below and made his way to the place he thought may provide the most information: the Souk Al-Silaah. Being as quick as he was, he reached the souk in very little time. He searched the perimeter, hoping to find means of obtaining useful information, when he saw two people standing near one of the stalls. He watched as one of the men handed off some documents to the other.

"Make sure to get this to Tamir, right away," the man said. The messenger nodded and went on his way. This was his chance. Altair moved slowly through the crowd, careful not to raise suspicion as he approached the messenger. He extended his arm towards the satchel that contained the documents when he was shoved out of the way by two figures dressed in black.

"Good morning sir!" said one of the figures, who appeared to be a man.

"Good morning!" mimicked the other one, a small young woman. The messenger stared at them, baffled.

"Can I help you?" he asked apprehensively.

"Why yes you can!" answered the man. "You see, we are new to the city and we've been wandering around for hours!"

"Hours!" repeated the young woman.

"Please, kind sir, we are ever so hungry! Could you please point the way to the nearest food place?" the man implored, grabbing his shoulders.

"Please, kind sir!" said the woman, mimicking his actions. The messenger shakily pointed a finger to the food stall directly behind them. The odd pair then seized him up in a huge hug.

"Oh thank you so much sir!" the man exclaimed.

"Thank you!" With that, they quickly fled the scene. The messenger, still baffled, went back on his way. Altair watched as the couple ran past the food stall and into the streets. Something was wrong. When he looked back to the messenger, he saw that he was desperately searching his satchel for the missing documents.

Altair headed back to the bureau in disappointment. He was only able to gather a few pieces of information about his target. Whenever he was close to obtaining anything of use, something would go wrong. And it always seemed to involve the mysterious odd couple. He recalled his last encounter with the couple, ending with him being chased around the district by half the city's guards. He sighed in frustration as he climbed down into the bureau's main chamber.

"Ah, welcome back Altair!" the rafiq greeted as he entered. "So, have you found out anything useful?"

Altair shook his head. "I found very little information concerning the target."

"Really? That's unusual…" the rafiq stroked his chin. "What went wrong?"

Altair thought for a moment before replying. "There was an… odd couple in the city. It seems as if every time I would get close to learning something useful, they would appear and take away my opportunity."

The rafiq shook his head. "That's tough luck, Altair. I guess our only hope is that Sonya has been more successful."

"Please, if I couldn't get anything, what makes you think she would have a better chance?" Altair retorted. Suddenly a thud was heard from the main chamber. Altair and the rafiq turned to see Sonya stumble through the doorway, smiling like an idiot. Her hair and clothing was a mess and she was covered in hay.

"I know exactly when and where Tamir is going to be."

* * *

><p><strong>2011 AD<strong>

**Abstergo Industries**

"Hey Isaiah! Is this the place?"

"It certainly is, Maria my dear!"

"Woooooow! This looks like the perfect place to do a robbery!" A man and a woman stood in front of the building, taking in the view. The man was tall with thick, brown hair and mischievous eyes. The woman, in contrast, was much shorter, having long blonde hair that reached well past her shoulders and eyes full of excitement. They were both wearing janitor suits.

"Let's get to it!" Isaiah and Maria quickly checked to make sure their janitor outfits were on right before entering the building. "Remember Maria, just act natural, like you come here all the time." Maria nodded as they both entered the building, nonchalantly twirling their fake mustaches. They made their way past the receptionist, who gave them a strange look before shrugging it off and going back to work. The couple walked casually down to the end of the hall, where they made a break for it in the next corridor.

"This is it! We're in the clear!" Isaiah exclaimed as they sprinted towards the stairs. Maria laughed in delight as they flew up three flights of stairs before stopping on the third floor landing to catch their breath.

"So… Where do you… Think they… Keep the money?" Maria asked, catching her breath.

"Hm… An excellent question, Maria my dear," Isaiah replied, stroking his chin. "If I had to guess, I would say that they keep it at the bank!" Maria gave him a puzzled look.

"But, if they keep it at the bank, what are we doing here?" she asked, studying him.

Isaiah stood silent for a moment before replying, "The answer is simple, Maria! We're here to steal some expensive looking equipment and sell it on the market for quadruple its normal price!"

"Wow!" Maria exclaimed, jumping into the air. "That way, we'll make even more than the people who work here!"

"Exactly Maria!" Isaiah chimed, taking her hands. "With all the equipment here we can steal, we'll be billionaires in no time!"

"Billionaires!" Maria laughed, twirling into his arms.

"Right then," Isaiah said, suddenly serious. "Let's ransack this place and gather as much stuff as we can!"

"Hey! What are you two doing in here?" The couple looked up to see a security guard on the staircase above them.

"Isaiah," Maria said nervously, "I think this may be the time to make our exit."

"Right you are, Maria," Isaiah replied. "I'm sorry sir, but we must bid you ado!" He shouted at the guard before sprinting down the stairs to the third floor, Maria following close behind him. They quickly made their way down the hall and turned the corner, hiding in a vacant looking office. Both of them held their breaths as they watched the security guard run past from the window in the door. Maria exhaled deeply and looked around the room.

"Isaiah, look!" she exclaimed, pointing to the strange device in front of her. "What do you think it is?" Isaiah stepped closer to the machine and examined it. It was positioned in the back of the room and took up the entire wall space. Various wires and tubes criss-crossed this way and that, forming a large maze of lines on the wall, and buttons of all shapes and sizes could be seen everywhere. In the center was a glass door that led to a large chamber big enough for two people.

"Well, Maria, from its odd structure and size, I deduce that it is a snow cone machine!" Isaiah announced, finishing his inspection. Maria gasped in awe.

"Oh wow! Fire it up!" she exclaimed, reaching for one of the buttons, only to be stopped by Isaiah.

"Now now, Maria," he scolded, "You're pressing the wrong button! It's THIS one!" Isaiah reached out for the large button next to them.

"Um… Isaiah," Maria asked, "If that's the button that starts it, why does it say _WARNING: DO NOT PRESS_?"

"Why, Maria," he replied, "It's obvious that the sign is just a ruse so that people won't abuse it!"

"That's incredible!" she cried as the chamber's glass door slid open. "Um… I guess we have to order inside?"

"It would seem that way…" Isaiah stated entering the chamber, Maria following close behind. Suddenly, a young woman entered the room. A look of shock flashed on her face as she saw the couple, and then quickly turned to panic.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Her eyes fell across the machine's monitor. "Oh no… QUICK! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE!" The woman raced towards them as the door closed. She banged on the glass and shouted inaudible words to those inside the chamber.

"Isaiah, why is she banging on the door?" Maria asked.

"She probably just wants to get a snow cone," Isaiah answered. "I'M SOOOORRY BUT THEEEERE ISSSS NO ROOOOM FOR YOUUUU!" he mouthed to the woman. She sighed in exasperation and proceeded to pressing random numbers on the screen. Suddenly, the couple became blinded by a flash of light.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Kingdom – Damascus outskirts**

"Please?"

No response.

"I'll be your best buddy!"

Altair stopped for a moment, as if considering the offer, then put his horse into a light canter. Sonya sat and stared, annoyed, as he rode away. She then kicked her horse into a gallop and raced at full speed towards him. Sonya closed the distance between the two fast, her horse matching stride with Altair's. Pulling up beside him, she jumped off and tackled him, sending both of them flying onto the hard, dusty ground. Sonya sat and glared at him, pinning his arms and legs to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she spat. Without warning, Altair threw her off and pinned her to the ground in the same fashion.

"I could ask the same of you," he retorted. Sonya just rolled her eyes at him.

"It was just a small favor…" she said quietly. Altair glared at her with a murderous intent. Sonya stared at him with huge puppy dog eyes, but he would not waver. After a few minutes, she gave up and sighed. "Could you let me up?"

"Once you apologize," he stated flatly.

Sonya lay silent for a while before muttering, "I'm sorry you're such a dick." Altair raised his fist as if to strike her. He was clearly enraged by this statement, however, after a moment, he hesitantly lowered his arm.

"If you were not a woman, you would have a broken nose and black eye by now," he growled, standing up. Sonya made an indignant sound as she dusted herself off. "What was Al Mualim thinking, pairing me up with you?"

"Maybe he thought you could use a little help," Sonya replied in a playful tone. At this, Altair scoffed.

"As if I need your help," he said, getting on his horse. "I am your superior–"

"You _were_ my superior," Sonya interrupted. "Now you are just the same as me. Or did you forget that Al Mualim stripped you of your rank?"

"We may be the same in rank," he replied, "but not in skill." Sonya smiled.

"Okay, how about this?" she pointed to the top of a nearby tower. "I bet I can beat you to the top of that tower."

Altair looked at where she was pointing. "Very well, but when I win, you have to obey all of my orders and submit to my will."

"Oh, cocky aren't we?" She smirked as they positioned themselves. "Ready… Set… GO!" Sonya took off and in the blink of an eye, she was already at the tower's base. She didn't need to look behind her as she scaled the wall to know that Altair was far behind. He may be fast, but she was faster. What she lacked in fighting ability she made up for in agility and speed. In a few seconds, she was already hauling herself up onto the top of the tower. It was thirty more seconds before Altair finally made it to the top. Sonya smiled at him as she examined the view.

It was breathtaking. From where she stood she could see a great distance away, getting a good view of the village below them that was situated next to a small lake. A light breeze blew through the air, ruffling her clothes as it hit them. It carried the scent of palm trees, crisp and clean compared to the dry smell of the dirt roads. She put her hood down and closed her one visible eye as the wind hit her face, blowing back strands of her raven black hair.

"We should get going," Altair stated, ruining the moment. Sonya glared at him as he hopped up on the ledge and prepared to do a leap of faith. A smile flashed across her face as she walked towards him. Without warning, she pushed him off of the ledge and watched as he landed in the pile of hay below.

"I BELIEVE I CAN FLY!" she yelled as she jumped off after him. The sensation of falling overwhelmed her as her body fell through the air, adjusting itself so that she would land on her backside. It was exhilarating, this sensation. It gave her a sense of freedom, that she was in a whole other world where nothing could harm her. That is until she entered the pile of hay, landing on Altair as he tried to get out in time. She couldn't help but laugh as the "Master Assassin" groaned in pain from the sudden impact.

"Get off of me," he growled, but Sonya just sat there and smirked at him. Seeing that she would not budge, he then pushed her off and exited the hay pile. She followed after him, shaking bits of hay out of her clothing.

"Why do you always have to kill the fun?" Sonya asked as they mounted their horses. Altair simply rode away without answering her. She sighed and kicked her horse into a light canter to catch up with him. The rest of their trip to Damascus followed in silence. Neither had said a word to the other since the race at the tower. Sonya had tried to make conversation several times, but eventually gave up. Altair just wasn't very sociable. They had reached the main gates of the city within the next hour. Sonya halted her steed and stared at the large towers spread out across the city.

"Looks like the main entrance is guarded," Altair stated, though Sonya had barely heard him. She was too busy taking in the sights, or rather, what she could see from outside the walls. Her mind drifted off as she imagined herself at the top of those towers, free falling through the sky into the city below, not a care in the world. She imagined how wonderful it would feel to just plummet to the ground from such a high point, and then to land in a soft pile of hay. A cry for help broke her out of her reverie. She looked around and saw a scholar being assaulted by some of the city guards.

"Altair…" she started, but he had already dismounted his horse and headed towards the guard in front.

"What is it you want?" the guard spat. "Go away–" Before the guard had finished his sentence, Altair had stabbed him in the stomach with his hidden blade. This got the attention of the other guards, and they soon turned to face him.

"Infidel!" one of them shouted as he lunged for him. Altair did a quick sidestep and slashed at his back, sending him to the ground. As soon as he was down he turned and struck the third guard, piercing his sword through his heart. Blood sprayed everywhere as he removed the blade and looked at the fourth guard. The guard stood still for a moment, the fact that his colleagues were dead still registering in his brain. Before he could fully register this fact, Altair had already slashed at his throat, causing more blood to spray about the area.

"Oh, thank you so much!" the scholar exclaimed. "I'd best be getting home now, don't think I'll leave it anytime soon, either." With that, the scholar left, leaving Altair and Sonya alone with the guards' dead bodies.

"You would do well to stop daydreaming," he said flatly as he sheathed his sword.

"Sorry," she muttered, getting off her horse, "I've just never been to such an amazing city before." Altair led their mounts over to the stables and handed them over to the stable boy.

"You truly are a novice," he remarked, walking over towards the group of scholars. Sonya huffed and followed him, folding her hands in prayer and bowing her head in order to blend in as they entered the city. She held her breath a little when they walked past the guards, but then released it once they were in the clear. "First things first," Altair said, "We find the Assassin's Bureau."

The city was even more amazing inside the walls. Even though they were surrounded by the shoddy old buildings of the poor district, it was still a sight to see. Merchant stalls were placed everywhere with men crying out great deals as people bustled around browsing through various goods. Sonya couldn't help staring at the large towers that loomed over the city, the architecture was simply brilliant. Her reveries of falling were coming back to her, only to be chased away by Altair dragging her down the street by her arm.

"I thought I told you to stop daydreaming," he said impatiently.

"I told you, I can't help it!" she cried. "Could you not grip my arm so hard? OW!" Altair paid no heed to her cries as he continued dragging her along to a small alley with a ladder on one end. "Um, why are we in an alley with no witnesses around?" Sonya asked nervously. Suddenly her eyes widened in realization. "A-Altair! You wouldn't! I won't let you! I'll run! I'll scream! I'll kick you in the most painful place imaginable, but I ain't going down without a fight!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, climbing the ladder. Sonya stared as he climbed onto the roof.

"Oh… Uh, nothing," she said sheepishly, following after him.

"As much as I would love to kill you," he continued, "you're my ticket back to the top, and I will not lose that ticket."

"Oh great, now I'm something to be disposed of when I'm no longer of any use," Sonya replied sarcastically, jumping down into the bureau with Altair.

"You became something to dispose of the moment you became an assassin," Altair murmured almost inaudibly. She landed with a soft thud and examined her surroundings. The main chamber was quite welcoming, with expensive looking carpets hanging on the walls and a cluster of pillows offering a quick reprieve from the day's work. Sonya examined the potted plants scattered throughout the room, poking one with particularly strange leaves.

"Ah! Al Mualim said you would arrive!" she heard the rafiq greet from the other room, "I had heard you had gotten demoted Altair…" Altair remained silent.

"Yep, now we're both novices!" Sonya said cheerily as she put her arm around his shoulder.

The rafiq continued, "A few of your brothers were here earlier in fact. Oh, if you'd heard the things they said, I'm certain you'd have slain them where they stood!"

"It's quite alright," Altair replied, shrugging off the woman's arm. Sonya looked at him crossly and turned away.

"Yes, you've never been one for the Creed, have you?"

"Ain't that the truth!" she replied, giving him a look.

"Sonya," Altair said, glaring at her. Sonya just ignored him and walked closer to the rafiq.

"So, who exactly are we looking for?" she asked, leaning on the counter.

"Your target is a black market merchant, a man named Tamir," said the rafiq. "It is said that he is the largest black market merchant in all of Damascus. He specializes in arms and armor and runs the largest underground trade in the entire Holy Land."

"Interesting…" Sonya replied, leaning in closer. "I'd like to learn more."

"You can probably pick up some information around the Souk Al-Silaah," the rafiq suggested. "I would suggest you seek out the following places: the small souk north-east of here, the madrasah to our east, and the gardens north of this bureau. Focus on these places and he should become well known to you."

"Well, Altair, I'll leave you to it!" Sonya scaled the wall and exited the bureau, jumping off the side of the building and landing in the streets bellow. She quickly blended into the crowd to avoid arousing suspicion from the guards. "Now, where to start…?" A nearby tower caught her eye as she surveyed her surroundings. She smiled as she made her way towards it, thoughts of falling through the air already flowing through her mind. However, this reverie was also broken by a shrill scream.

"That'll teach you to mess with the city guards!" Sonya turned around and saw a few guards kicking a man who lay motionless on the ground, curled up in a ball, while one of them was holding a young woman and preventing her from escaping.

"What is it with the guards in this city?" she muttered, making her way towards the spectacle. As she approached, one of the guards noticed her and stepped in her way.

"Leave now peasant– " The guard was unable to finish his sentence, for his mouth was met with the sole of her boot, knocking him to the ground. The other guards took notice and turned their attention on her.

"You'll pay for that, heretic!" yelled one of the guards as he lunged for her. Sonya swiftly blocked the blow with her blade and punched him in the gut. She then grabbed his shirt and flung him at the two remaining guards into a merchant stand, causing it to collapse. Luckily, no one was manning the stand.

"Oh thank you so much, miss!" The man exclaimed as he got up off the ground and embraced her.

"Thank you!" cried the woman as she mimicked him. Sonya stood there stunned at how friendly they were.

"Uh, it really was no trouble at all," she said, pulling herself out of the hug.

"Oh please, what you did was so heroic!" The man yelled.

"Heroic!" The woman mimicked. Sonya just stared at the strange couple, wishing she had just let the guards do what they wanted.

"Please, there must be some way that we can pay you back," the man insisted. "We'll do anything!"

"Anything!" They dropped down on their knees into a begging position and pleaded with her. Sonya looked around nervously. These two were drawing a crowd, and she needed to get rid of them, fast. Suddenly, an idea hatched in her brain.

"Actually, there is something you might be able to do for me."

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District**

"Ow, my head…"

"Ow, my head…"

"That was some fall, huh Maria?"

"Isaiah, look!" Isaiah opened his eyes, blinking them repeatedly to adjust to the bright light. Once the brightness wasn't so unbearable, he looked around and gasped in shock. Isaiah and Maria sat in the middle of a dusty street, surrounded by old clay buildings and merchant stalls. The inhabitants of the city stared at the two, making snide remarks about how oddly they were dressed, and then simply walked around them, minding their own business as they went on their way.

"W-wait a minute!" he stammered, getting up. "Weren't we just inside that snow cone machine?" He ran up to one of the merchant stalls, cutting through the gathering crowd. "Excuse me sir, but could you tell me where we are and what year it is?"

The merchant looked baffled. "Why, it is the year 1191! And here we are in the great city of Damascus! More specifically, we are in the poor district. It is home to the Souk Al-Silaah, the most bustling marketplace around!" The merchant picked up one of his items, a brilliantly colored and bejeweled comb, and offered it to Isaiah. "Would you like one for your lady friend over there?" he asked, but Isaiah declined and returned to Maria, relaying the news.

"W-what could this mean?" she asked, confused and frightened. Isaiah sat cross-legged on the ground and thought hard.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed, shooting up into the air. "This is all just some crazy dream!"

"R-really?" Maria asked, relieved.

"Of course, Maria my dear!" he continued, "We're really still back in that snow cone machine, passed out from eating too many frozen treats!"

"But Isaiah," Maria said, "I don't remember eating any snow cones."

Isaiah paused for a moment before saying, "But of course, Maria, they must have been so delicious that we got lost in their flavor and wound up here!"

"So you're saying that they were magical snow cones that could transport us through space and time?" she asked excitedly.

"Exactly, Maria!" Isaiah continued. "We ate some magical snow cones that transported us into a whole other dimension!"

"That's incredible!" Maria cheered, hugging Isaiah. "But, how will we ever get back home?"

"Well Maria, the way I see it, we'll just have to look around this city for a while," he answered, "At least until the effect of those magical snow cones wears off."

"By look around, do you mean pull a few jobs?" Maria asked.

"That's exactly what I mean!" He exclaimed, grabbing her hands and frolicking in the middle of the street. "We'll pull the biggest, baddest heist in this city!" Maria laughed and cheered as they danced all around, ignoring the growing stares of the crowd. Suddenly, Maria stepped on something, causing them to slip and fall onto the hard dirt. A yelp of pain was heard and they looked up to see one of the city guards staring down at them, a furious expression on his face. He grabbed Isaiah, still wearing the janitor outfit, by his collar and lifted him into the air.

"Watch were you're going you idiot!" he spat, "You ruined my boots with all your dancing on top of them!"

"Hey, let it go, we're still on duty," said another guard behind him. The first guard grunted and dropped Isaiah onto the ground.

"You're lucky we don't have any time to waste on you filth," he growled, walking away.

Isaiah scrambled onto his feet and called after them, "I could say the same for you, you dirty bastards!" The guard stopped and turned around, a look of anger on his face.

"Yeah? Well if it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get!" he shouted, punching Isaiah in the face and knocking him to the ground. "Not so tough now, are you?" The guard repeatedly kicked him as he curled up into a defensive ball.

"Isaiah!" Maria cried as she rushed to help him, but one of the guards restrained her as the others joined in on the beating.

"This'll teach you to mess with the city guards!" yelled one of them as he stomped on Isaiah. A cry of pain was heard behind them as the guard holding Maria fell to the ground. They turned to see a figure dressed in white with a hooded cape covering their eyes. The guards stood dazed for a moment, but quickly got over it as one of them charged for her.

"You'll pay for that, heretic!" he shouted, lunging at her with his sword. The figure swiftly blocked the blow with their own sword and delivered a punch to his stomach. Then, grabbing his shirt, they flung him at the two remaining guards, causing them to fly into a nearby merchant stand, which collapsed at the sudden impact. The whole scene took less than ten seconds. Isaiah got up and took a good look at his savior.

"Wow, Maria," he whispered, "he's strong!"

"Strong!" she whispered back. "We should thank him! But…"

"What's wrong Maria?" Isaiah asked. Maria stared at the figure.

"Doesn't he seem a bit… feminine?" she replied. Isaiah looked them over carefully and gasped in shock.

"You're right, Maria!" he exclaimed. "With curves like those, it's easy to see that she is indeed a woman!"

"Oh wooooooow!" Maria gasped in awe. Isaiah stood up and went over to their hero.

"Oh, thank you so much, miss!" he exclaimed, embracing her.

"Thank you!" Maria mimicked, hugging her as well. She stood there stunned at the sudden display of affection.

"Uh, it really was no trouble at all," she replied, pulling herself out of the hug.

"Oh, please," Isaiah interjected, "what you did was so heroic!"

"Heroic!" Maria cheered. The woman simply stared at them, nervously looking at the crowd they were drawing in.

"Please, there must be some way we can pay you back!" Isaiah insisted. "We'll do anything!"

"Anything!" The couple dropped to their knees in a begging position, oblivious to how uncomfortable they were making her.

After a short pause, the woman replied, "Actually, there is something you might be able to do for me." Isaiah and Maria leaned in closer to listen. "You see, I need help gathering information about a black market merchant named Tamir. He specializes in selling weapons and arms."

"He sounds dangerous!" Maria exclaimed.

The woman nodded before continuing, "Yes, he is. He constantly terrorizes the streets. He is a heartless, cruel man who will stop at nothing to leave this world in ruins!" The couple stared in horror as she gestured wildly. "THIS EVIL MUST BE STOPPED! YOU MUST HELP US DEFEND THESE STREETS SO THAT THE WORKING CLASS MAY LIVE IN PEACE ONCE AGAIN!" she shouted overdramatically. "So I'm leaving it up to you two to help gather information about him!" The woman smiled to herself, her tone changing to a lighter one, and gave them all the details they needed before sending them on their way.

"We'll be happy to help!" Isaiah announced.

"We will bring down this evil man!" Maria exclaimed.

"Come, Maria! Let's get to work!" The couple turned and started in a random direction.

"Wait!" The woman stopped them and handed them some coins. "You might want to change into some less conspicuous outfits," she said, pointing out their janitor uniforms. The couple looked down and stared at their outfits.

"I guess these things won't cut it in this kind of place," Maria said.

Isaiah nodded and accepted the money. "Right Maria, let's go get us a whole new wardrobe!"

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District**

Sonya watched as the strange couple headed off and disappeared into the crowd. "Guess I'll be able to take it easy for a while," she said, starting in a random direction. "Although I have to admit I exaggerated a bit when describing Tamir's 'evil'." Damascus was really something. Even though she was in the poor district, it was still much grander than she had expected. All her life, all she had ever known were the confining walls of Masyaf. Now, here in this large and beautiful city, she felt a sense of freedom she had never known before. Children laughed and played while their mothers watched nearby. Merchants called out to potential customers from flamboyant stalls, enticing them with exotic goods.

"Come! Look at this fine specimen I have with me today!" exclaimed one of the merchants, holding up a large sapphire necklace. "This fine piece of jewelry was hand-crafted by the best in the business! None can match its quality!" Sonya peered over the gathering crowd at the beautifully made necklace. Her visible eye gleamed with envy as the sun hit the jewel, making it shine brighter than anything she had ever seen. She quickly cut through the crowd to the front of the stand.

"I'll take it!" she shouted, snatching the necklace from the merchant's hands.

"A fine choice indeed, my friend!" he smiled. "Now of course, there is the matter of payment…" Sonya, paying no attention just stared at the necklace as she held it up in the light. She started bragging to the crowd about how beautiful it was as she put it on. The merchant, growing impatient, cleared his throat loudly and held out his hand. Sonya stared at it blankly before his intentions registered in her brain.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed taking out her coin purse. "How much do you… need…" Sonya stared at the empty purse in dismay and started sweating profusely.

"Ten thousand gold coins," the merchant answered, holding out his hand expectantly. Sonya looked at him, then the purse, and back at him.

"Um… How about we just put it on my tab?" she asked nervously. The merchant looked displeased.

"Either you pay me my money now, or no deal!" he yelled, snatching the necklace off of her neck. "Next!" Sonya walked away solemnly, dragging her feet along the dirt road. She shook her head, causing her eye patch to come loose. She caught it in her hand as it fell, and snapped her head up, her red eye gleaming.

"This is all Altair's fault!" she exclaimed suddenly. "He sent me out on my own without any money!" Her sadness turned to rage as she stormed through the streets. "ALTAIIIIIIIIR!" The crowd parted as she made her way through, more out of fear than anything else. "Now, where would he be…?" Sonya looked up at a nearby tower that hovered over the city. It reached far above the buildings below, casting a looming shadow. Near the top, she could just barely make out a figure climbing up the side. "I'm gonna kill that bastard!" Sonya sprinted through the streets, shoving people aside as she made her way to the nearest cart of hay. There, she watched as the white donned figure jumped off of a small platform and landed in the cart next to her. Without waiting for him to get out, she reached into the pile and grabbed him, pulling him out into the street.

"Altair, you bastard!" she yelled, holding him in a stranglehold. "How could you just send me out on my own without any money? There was an amazing necklace down at the marketplace that I just had to buy! But I couldn't buy it, because I'm flat broke, because you never gave me money!" The man struggled, and with some effort, broke free from her grip.

"There must be some mistake!" he exclaimed, "I'm not—" Before he could finish, Sonya had slugged him and knocked him down to the ground. She then kneeled down and grabbed him by his shirt, studying his face carefully. His eyes were a dark green, seemingly staring into her soul. He wore similar robes to that of Altair, except his sleeves and pants were a darker gray.

"Oh," she said, letting go of him, "I must have mistaken you for someone else." The man stood up slowly, still recovering from the blow, and dusted himself off.

"You must be Sonya," he said, watching as she put her eye patch back on. "I've heard a great deal about you." Sonya looked at him and smiled.

"Sorry about that," she said, "I should really make sure my eye patch is tied securely so that doesn't happen again. You must be another assassin." She gestured to the red sash under his belt.

"My name is Salil, I was assigned to assassinate a certain politician who had stuck his nose too far into other people's business," he replied. "I heard that Al Mualim partnered you with Altair to take care of the black market merchant Tamir."

"Yes," Sonya nodded, "what do you know of him?" Salil smiled and walked towards her.

"Come, let us take a walk around the city," he suggested, "I will tell you everything you need to know." Sonya watched him warily before nodding and followed closely behind as he led her through the streets. "As you probably know, Tamir is a weapons dealer and supplies most of the Holy Land with his wares. He is often busy with his clients and is always seen barking out orders around the Souk. If you stay in that general vicinity long enough, you should be able to get a clear shot at an assassination." Sonya, listening intently, now looked up at the bright desert sun.

"So, it's as simple as that, huh?" she asked, taking idle steps.

"I suppose so," Salil laughed, walking closer, "but enough about that. I have given you information, so you must return the favor."

Sonya raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"Well, for starters, why don't you tell me about yourself?" he suggested. "How did you get into the Brotherhood? And why is a beautiful young woman like you an assassin?" Sonya stared at him.

"Are you flirting with me?" she asked, incredulous. Salil burst out laughing at this.

"Not in the least," he smiled. Sonya stared for a few more seconds and just ignored him altogether.

"You know," she replied after some time, "the last person to try and flirt with me ended up with their dick up their ass." Salil chuckled a bit, stepping off to the side nervously.

"Well, if it's any consolation," he answered, "I really do think you are beautiful."

"Keep talking," Sonya smiled, "in the next few minutes you may be the first man to crash into the sun."

"You speak so openly for a woman," he stated, smirking. "It's a wonder no one has put you in your place yet." Sonya paused and looked down at the ground, studying the dirt path she stood on.

"Believe me, they've tried," she muttered softly. Salil watched her for a moment before putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I did not mean to bring up old memories," he apologized. Sonya just shook her head and kept walking, brushing his hand off.

"WE'RE BAAACK!" screamed the odd couple as they ran up to her.

"We've got the documents!" exclaimed Isaiah.

"And we overheard some important information about Tamir!" Maria added. Salil looked the couple over and smirked.

"Getting others to do your dirty work?" he questioned.

Sonya smiled, "They owed me a favor." She thanked the couple as they exchanged the information they gathered and headed back towards the bureau.

"By the way," Isaiah called after her, "we got into a little bit of trouble with the guards…" Sonya stopped and turned around.

"You see," Maria continued, "we bumped into this guy, causing him to bump into one of the guards on patrol. Then they started shouting out about him being an infidel and chased him around the city. A few even went after us!"

"In fact," Isaiah stated, "they're probably on our tails right now!" Just then, a pack of guards rounded the corner and spotted the group. "Well, it was nice meeting you miss, but we must take our leave!" he said, grabbing Maria by the arm and running in a random direction. The guards didn't seem to be that concerned with them, for now they had their sights set on Sonya and Salil.

"Guess we better ru—Hey!" Sonya stared at the spot Salil had just been standing in seconds ago, and looked down the street to see him running through the crowd at top speed. "Bastard," Sonya muttered, climbing up the nearest building onto the roof. Once she reached the top, she ran down the line of buildings to the nearest rooftop garden. Looking over her shoulder, she could see the guards gaining on her. "When did they learn to climb so fast?" she asked in exasperation, tripping over a ledge in the process. She skidded across the roof, acquiring multiple cuts and bruises. The guards were gaining on her still, and she was running out of rooftops. After a few minutes, she finally reached the end of the line. The next line of buildings was too far away to jump across and the roof was too high to jump down from. She looked around frantically for options when she noticed that the ledge she was standing on had pigeon poop. She smiled as she spotted the cart of hay right below her and prepared to do a leap of faith. Then she got hit in the head with a rock.

Losing her balance, she fell off the ledge and landed roughly in the hay, gathering even more bruises to add to her ever-growing collection. She could hear the guards cheering as she fell, thinking that they had killed her. Once the laughter had died down, she heaved herself out of the cart, not bothering to brush off the pieces of hay all over her, and headed towards the bureau. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from where she was. She easily found the alleyway and, with some effort, climbed up the ladder. Once she reached the entryway, she stared at the ledge. Carefully, she tried easing herself down slowly. However, this didn't work out too well, for she slipped and fell flat on her back with a large thud.

Despite her multiple injuries, she had a large smile on her face as she entered the Rafiq's chamber and greeted the two assassins. "I know exactly when and where Tamir is going to be."

"Well, it looks like she did better than you after all, Altair!" the Rafiq laughed. Altair, however, was not amused.

"Beginner's luck," he muttered under his breath. Sonya ignored him and limped towards the counter.

"Tamir rules over the Souk Al-Silaah. He is the largest weapons dealer in the land," Sonya reported. "Tomorrow he is having a meeting to discuss an important sale. He'll be distracted with work, which gives me an opportunity to strike."

"Your plan seems solid enough," said the Rafiq, "but may I ask; why are you limping?" Sonya looked down sheepishly.

"Eh… I got into some trouble with the guards," she said nervously. The rafiq just laughed and beckoned her over to him.

"Come, let me treat your wounds," he offered, handing a white feather to Altair.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District – Souk Al-Silaah**

"Do you see him Maria?" Isaiah asked, scanning the crowd. Maria stood on tiptoe, searching as well. The couple now wore less conspicuous clothing, but their pure black garments still stood out quite well. People still avoided them as they ran around searching for someone, hoping to not get caught up in their antics. The souk was quite crowded now as the streets were filled with people browsing through the merchant stalls. Maria sighed and sat on the dusty ground.

"I give up, Isaiah," she said in defeat. Isaiah looked appalled.

"Maria! How could you say that?" he exclaimed, kneeling beside her. "We promised our dear friend that we would help put a stop to this treachery! And dare I say, I have never broken a promise!"

"But how will we ever find him in this huge crowd?" Maria asked. Isaiah stared at the ground in thought.

"We just have to keep looking, Maria!" he shouted, standing up abruptly. "WE WILL PUT A STOP TO THIS EVIL LIKE TRUE HEROES!"

"You mean like superheroes?" Maria asked, excited.

"Exactly Maria! We'll take this city by storm and secure the peace and tranquility of the people!" Isaiah continued, pulling her on her feet.

"Alright!" Maria exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. "We'll be true heroes!" With that, the couple continued their search, vigorously scanning the crowd. After several minutes, Maria finally announced, "Over there! I see him!" She pointed off in a random direction as Isaiah tried to see past the crowd. Two people stood in a secluded area and a handful of documents were exchanged.

"Good going Maria!" Isaiah cheered. "Let's go put our skills to the test!" Without hesitation, the couple shoved their way through to where the man was standing. They followed behind him slowly as he headed for his destination. "Follow my lead," Isaiah whispered, "I have a plan." Maria nodded and watched as Isaiah rushed up to the messenger and followed suit. "Good morning sir!" he greeted cheerily.

"Good morning sir!" Maria mimicked, watching Isaiah carefully. The messenger looked startled.

"Can I help you?" He asked apprehensively.

"Why yes you can!" answered Isaiah. "You see, we are new to the city and we've been wondering around for hours!"

"Hours!" repeated the Maria.

"Please, kind sir, we are ever so hungry! Could you please point the way to the nearest food place?" Isaiah implored, grabbing his shoulders.

"Please, kind sir!" said Maria, mimicking his actions. The messenger shakily pointed a finger to the food stall directly behind them. The odd pair stared at it for a minute then seized him up in a huge hug. Isaiah carefully reached into his satchel, pulling out the documents stored in there and quickly put it in his own.

"Oh thank you so much sir!" Isaiah exclaimed.

"Thank you!" With that, they quickly fled the scene, running directly past the food stall and down another street. "Wow, Isaiah! That was so easy!" Maria exclaimed as she stared at the documents in his hand.

"Piece of cake, Maria my dear!" he replied slowing his pace. "Now then, let's report our findings to our dear friend!" Maria looked over the documents, frowning slightly.

"But Isaiah," she said, waving them around, "this doesn't look like enough information!" Isaiah looked over the papers and nodded in agreement.

"You're right Maria," he stated, putting them away in his satchel. "Then we'll just have to scout out more information!"

"Alright! Let's get to it!" Maria exclaimed excitedly. The couple then started in a random direction in search for more findings.

Two hours had passed, and the couple had gotten all the information they needed. They laughed merrily as they walked down the street. People still avoided them, and they cleared a path through the crowd wherever they went. Isaiah looked around, noticing for the first time that the crowd wanted no part of them.

"Hey Maria," Isaiah whispered, "Why are they all avoiding us?" Maria looked around and thought for a bit. She then noticed that a strange man in white robes was following them.

"Maybe they're too scared of that man over there," she whispered back, indicating the figure behind them. Isaiah looked over his shoulder and stared at him for a moment before turning back to Maria.

"Hey, he's wearing the same clothes as that lady who saved us!" he exclaimed.

"You're right!" Maria gasped. "Do you think he knows her?"

"Let's go ask!" Isaiah suggested, strolling over towards him. "Hi there!" he greeted. "I'm—GWAH!" Just before he reached the robed man, Isaiah tripped and tumbled forward. The man barely had time to react before he was shoved backwards into a group of guards.

"Isaiah!" Maria squealed, rushing over to him. "Are you okay?" Isaiah picked himself up off the ground and rubbed his head.

"I'm fine…" he replied, just as the guards noticed them.

"Assassins!" he cried out, drawing his sword. The robed man quickly fled the scene, a few guards on his heel. It took a moment for the couple to register what was going on. They scrambled onto their feet and ran in the opposite direction. Two guards chased after them, crying out things such as "INFIDEL!" and "DIE HERETIC!" The couple rounded the corner, hoping to lose sight of them, but instead ran into another group of guards that happened to be standing there. Alarmed, they drew their weapons and chased after the couple as well. Isaiah and Maria ran about the city, the crowd parting in front of them as they passed. The guards slowly gained on them, inching closer and closer. They finally managed to lose them in a busy intersection.

"GET DOWN!" Isaiah yelled, dropping to his knees and crawling through the crowd, with Maria following suit. They quickly made their way through and once they had cleared the area, looked up to see that the guards chasing them were nowhere to be found.

"We did it Isaiah!" Maria cried, embracing him. Isaiah hugged her back as he looked around.

"Look, Maria!" he exclaimed, pointing towards a woman dressed in white. "It's the lady who saved us!" Maria looked over where he was pointing and stared in confusion.

"Isaiah," she asked, "Who's that man standing next to her?" Isaiah looked closer and thought for a moment.

"Why, it must be her boyfriend, Maria!" he answered, heading towards the two.

"Is it okay to interrupt them like this?" Maria asked, keeping up.

"I'm afraid that evil cannot wait," Isaiah said, "not even for a lovely couple such as them!"

"How awful!" Maria cried as they approached the white donned figures.

"WE'RE BAAACK!" screamed the couple as they ran up to their hero.

"We've got the documents!" exclaimed Isaiah.

"And we overheard some important information about Tamir!" Maria added. The man standing next to her looked at the couple and smirked.

"Getting others to do your dirty work?" he questioned.

The woman smiled, "They owed me a favor." She thanked the couple as they exchanged the information they gathered and walked off. Isaiah and Maria exchanged glances as they heard shouting behind them.

"Do you think we should tell her?" Maria whispered. Isaiah nodded and turned towards the woman's retreating figure.

"By the way," he called after her, "we got into a little bit of trouble with the guards…" The woman stopped and turned around.

"You see," Maria continued, "we bumped into this guy, causing him to bump into one of the guards on patrol. Then they started shouting out about him being an infidel and chased him around the city. A few even went after us!"

"In fact," Isaiah stated, "they're probably on our tails right now!" Just then, a pack of guards rounded the corner and spotted the group. "Well, it was nice meeting you miss, but we must take our leave!" he said, grabbing Maria by the arm and running in a random direction. Most of the guards concentrated their attention on the two figures in white, while two of them ran after the couple. Again, the commotion they caused attracted even more guards, and soon, practically half the city was chasing them. The guards were slowly gaining and the couple was running out of energy. Though they were very good at running away, they couldn't keep this up much longer.

"It looks like this is the end, Maria!" Isaiah cried.

"Oh Isaiah!" Maria exclaimed dramatically, attempting to hug him. Instead, she tripped and sent both of them tumbling down to the ground. They groaned loudly as they tried to stand up, but the guards had caught up with them. They held each other in a last embrace as one of them prepared to slash them with his sword. The blow never came. Confused, the couple looked up to see a group of men holding them off.

"Come with me!" One of them whispered, leading Isaiah and Maria to safety as the others kept the guards occupied. They entered a small house, holding no furniture except for a large wooden table and some chairs scattered about. "Are you alright?" the stranger asked.

Isaiah and Maria nodded before exclaiming simultaneously, "Thank you for saving us, kind sir!"

The stranger smiled as he introduced himself, "My name is Kadin, and you are quite welcome."

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District – Assassin's Bureau**

Sonya lay in the pile of pillows, staring up at the stars through the grated ceiling. Her body still ached from the chase earlier that day, but she was healing remarkably fast. It was all just a dull pain and her bruises were nearly gone. Still, it hurt if she moved around too much, so she just lay still as she observed the night sky. It was a beautiful, cloudless night. Each star was perfectly visible and shone brightly against the midnight blue sky. Using her finger, she silently formed various constellations of her own. In one cluster, she traced the outline of a large eagle. In another, she managed to create an intricate drawing of a face. She absentmindedly traced her finger over the nose, mouth, and hair. Just as she was about to finish the eyes, she realized what, or who, she was drawing and gave up on the stars altogether. Memories of the boy who once was her friend flooded her mind. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it, and buried her face in one of the pillows.

The linen was soft and gave off a very interesting odor, but the memories still came to her. As a last resort, she started shouting random phrases into the pillow, babbling on about nonsensical things that made no sense to anyone. After a minute or two, she gave up and threw the pillow aside, her eye patch falling off in the process. She then looked up to see Altair standing in the doorway of the main chamber, staring at her. She stared back at him, her red eye gleaming brightly in the moonlight.

"What?" she asked after a few seconds, clearly annoyed.

"It's not every day that you see a grown woman shouting nonsense into a pillow," he replied calmly. Sonya growled softly as she deployed her hidden blade, the moonlight reflecting brightly off the metal. Altair remained silent as he walked past her and picked up her eye patch off the floor. He then tossed it into her lap and sat down next to her facing the wall. "You should make sure that thing is tied tightly enough." he said, lying down to rest. Sonya growled as she put it back on, tying it extra tight. Her growls turned into a yawn as she lay down as well, staring back up at the sky. "Go to sleep," he ordered.

"Sing me a lullaby," she commanded, tracing more constellations with her finger. Altair remained silent and unmoving. After a while, she put her finger to rest and rolled onto her side, her back towards the assassin next to her.

_Long, long end of dreams_

_The clock hands keep spinning to anywhere_

She sang softly to herself, her mind trying to recall the words.

_Words lost their meaning_

_I left them inside my mind_

_I looked through the lost time_

_But I can't see you yet_

Her eyelids started to get heavy as she sang the next verse of the song, the lyrics slowly coming back to her.

_I slightly rewinded the clock_

_And forgot about the far away time and distance_

Her voice started fading as she slowly lulled herself to sleep. Quietly, she whispered the last few words of the verse before falling asleep.

_The very moment I held the small hand_

_I woke up from a dream that won't come true_

* * *

><p>Lyrics for the lullaby at the end were taken from a song called Counterclockwise by Hatsune Miku. So, read, review, criticize, you know the drill! If there's anything I can improve on just let me know and I'll do my best!<p> 


	2. Exposition for New Characters

Because the last chapter didn't have a disclaimer...

**DISCLAIMER:** Assassin's Creed belongs to Ubisoft. I own absolutely nothing except my own original characters.

I'm trying to do monthly release for this story but... It's not going too well. We'll see how far I get on Chap 3 next month. Also, thank you to my one lonely reviewer (I'm so popular).

* * *

><p><strong>Exposition For New Characters Who May or May Not Have an Important Role<strong>

**1191 AD**

**Masyaf – Infirmary**

The light was blinding. I struggled to keep my eyes closed, to go back to the world of darkness, but my body wouldn't let me. Groaning, I sat up and opened my eyes to face the blinding light. This was a bad idea for I immediately acquired a splitting headache. I put my hand to my eyes to try and shield some of the brightness. Once they had adjusted, I took a good look around at the room I was in. It was a large room with many windows lining the walls. There were beds neatly lined up in rows and various tables full of medical instruments. Most of the beds were occupied by those wounded in battle.

Wait… Battle? What happened? Why am I in here? And why does my left arm feel so… I looked down and gaped at the stump hanging off of my body. My left arm was gone, nothing but a stump covered in bloody bandages. I shuddered as the memories came flooding back to me. The ruins in Jerusalem, the treasure we sought, Kadar's death… Altair's recklessness… I slammed my fist angrily against the bed. That bastard! It was his fault that this happened! Because of him, we were attacked. Because of him, all of these people are lying in this room, and my brother… Kadar would still be alive if it wasn't for him! He will pay. I will ensure it.

My head snapped up as I heard footsteps approaching my bed. I quickly regretted that movement, for the sight before me was almost too much to bear. There she stood, her robes covered in blood and her hood down, giving me a clear view of her face. Though her right eye was covered by her eye patch, the emotions displayed in her left eye were enough. I watched as she stared at me, at a loss for words. I saw her turn her gaze towards the stump that was now my arm. She was fighting hard to hold her composure, but it was futile. A tear rolled down her cheek as she threw herself at me.

"MALIK YOU IDIOT!" she cried, holding me tightly. "HOW COULD YOU GO AND DO THIS TO YOURSELF?" The force of impact had knocked the wind out of me, and I was struggling to breathe. "DON'T YOU EVER GO AND DO THAT AGAIN!" she continued, shaking me violently. By the time she stopped, my neck felt like it was going to snap and she was hugging me tightly again. This girl was really crushing me. Somehow, I managed to turn my head and look at her face. Her right eye was fully visible now and panic struck me as I gazed at the eye patch lying on the floor.

"S-Sonya," I gasped, attempting to pull away. Her red eye gleamed as she hugged me tighter. I could hear a few bones starting to break as I was being crushed by her monstrous strength. From the corner of my eye, I saw one of the nurses attending to another patient. Flailing my good arm, I tried to get her attention, but she was too engrossed in her work. I was sure that this was the end; that I was going to be crushed by this lunatic. Suddenly, I felt her body being pulled from me and my breathing returned to normal. When I looked over at her, another woman in assassin robes was restraining her.

"We have more than enough death going around, don't you think?" she said harshly, tying her eye patch back in place. Sonya quickly came back to her senses and she stopped struggling.

"Thanks Levana," Sonya said solemnly as she sat at the foot of my bed. Her blue eye gleamed brightly as the tears kept coming. Despite almost being crushed to death by her just a few seconds ago, I couldn't bear seeing her in this state. If Altair hadn't been so reckless… I chuckled grimly at the fact that all this suffering came back to him. He was the root of all this pain and depression. If I could, I'd take his head and throw it as far into the ocean as possible. "Malik?" I looked up to find that Sonya's face was just inches from my own. How did she—?

"Don't worry," she smiled frailly, "I'm sure that Kadar's in a better place now." I stared incredulously at her. She was so oblivious, so _innocent_. How could I tell her that my greatest trouble was figuring out how to exact revenge on that bastard? No, I couldn't tell her. At least with this eye, she can maintain some of her childhood innocence.

"I'm sure he is," I said, returning her smile. "All this crying really doesn't suit you," I said softly, wiping away a tear. She quickly turned around and pulled her hood over her head.

"I WASN'T CRYING!" she yelled, through the cloth. I sighed and looked over at Levana as she shook her head. Perhaps she maintained more of her childhood than desirable…

"You're pathetic, Sonya," Levana said, moving beside me. "I need to change the bandages now," she stated, taking out some fresh gauze. I nodded at her, wincing as she unwrapped the bloody bandages. I turned my attention back to Sonya, who was now standing in front of my bed.

"I have to go see Al Mualim," she said softly, "Take care." Giving me one last smile, she turned and left the infirmary. I stared after her as she disappeared from my sight.

"Seriously, something's not right with that girl," Levana stated as she wrapped the fresh bandages around my arm tightly, causing me to wince. "If this is what she's normally like, I'd hate to see her on drugs." I chuckled lightly and lay back down in my bed.

"She can be annoying at times," I agreed, "but she's a good friend."

"If only she weren't as crazy," Levana sighed. "Though I have to admit, I hate seeing her so sad. It's almost as bad as when Khayri…" Her voice trailed off as we both recalled the incident that happened so many years ago.

"She really broke down back then," I stated solemnly. "It took months before she would talk to anyone again." Levana nodded as she finished wrapping the bandages.

"I wouldn't move around for another day or two if I were you," she warned. "If I see you out of this bed at all, that arm will be the least of your worries." With that, she turned and left to attend to the others. So brutal… I know she meant well, but seriously….

_COME VISIT THE HOLY HAY INN! NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO SEE WHERE IT ALL HAPPENED! WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE VERY ROOM WHERE CHRIST WAS BORN, AS WELL AS THE CARPET HE WAS BORN ON! YES, THIS BUILDING WAS BLESSED BY HIS BIRTH AND IT IS NOW CONSIDERED VERY GOOD LUCK TO SLEEP INSIDE IT. IT MAY EVEN MAKE YOU HOLY! TOURS OF THE INN ARE MADE DAILY!_

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Poor District—Holy Hay Inn**

"…Wasn't Jesus born in Bethlehem…in a stable?" The innkeeper looked up at the dark robed man in front of him, a bright smile on his face.

"Oh no," he answered. "He was born here, in this very room!" He gestured to the room around him. "And on that very rug you're standing on!" He then gave the man the keys to the room and headed into the hallway. "Have a pleasant stay!" he said cheerily before shutting the door. The dark robed man stared at the door in silence.

"How pitiful," said a voice behind him. The man turned to face the figure sitting on the bed behind him. Both of them wore the same robes, black as night with dark blue hoods. Around their waists a bright orange sash could be seen, providing a high contrast with their dark clothing. The man ran a hand through his short, blonde hair and let out a sigh.

"Well, I guess you have to attract customers somehow," he replied, leaning against the wall.

"Still pitiful," the figure answered, their face hidden from view by their hood.

"You know, Rena," the man said, "You can take your hood off now. Not much use for it indoors." After a moment of silence, the figure reached up and pulled down the hood, revealing the face of a young woman with a stoic expression. Her short blonde hair barely fell past her chin, and her eyes were a pale blue. "There, isn't that better?" the man said. Rena remained silent.

"Come now, Leo," said a new voice. "You should know that Rena never says anything unless it is absolutely necessary. You are her twin brother after all." Leo and Rena turned to face the window, where a white donned man sat perched on the sill.

"Why don't you ever come in the normal way?" Leo groaned as the man hopped into the room and walked towards him.

"I think you know the answer to that question," he replied, nodding at Rena, who simply stared back at him. "I swear, it's as if your eyes penetrate my very soul, Rena." He shuddered, averting his gaze.

"You're one to talk," Leo retorted. "Those dark green orbs of yours are equally unsettling." The man seemed taken aback by this.

"Good sir," he commented, "My eyes could never be as cold and sharp as hers! They simply allow me to see into people's souls as one would peek through a window."

"Why are you here?" Leo demanded. The man smiled.

"Information, of course," he answered. "I've got information on your latest target that you may be interested in. However, before I disclose this with you, you must in turn provide information for me."

"I know the drill," Leo muttered. "What do you want to know?"

The man's face turned serious. "Why are you targeting Sonya?" Leo shifted uncomfortably against the wall and looked at the floor.

"We… Aren't exactly sure at the moment," he replied cautiously. The man eyed him curiously. "Our orders are to capture her alive, but for what purpose, I do not know."

"Is that so?" The man asked. "I'm afraid that this is not enough for the information I have in store for you."

"It's all I know," Leo snapped. "And if you won't give us information, we'll find it ourselves."

"How disappointing," the man sighed and turned to leave. "Well, happy hunting you two."

"Garnier targets her," Rena said suddenly. The man stopped and looked over at her. "'An interesting specimen,' he says. Wants to experiment. All I know." She gave him a look that could kill the dead. "Your turn."

The man laughed. "Always straight to the point," he said. "Well, I suppose it's only fair I tell you what I know. Luckily for you, I had contact with your target's associates earlier. Sonya will be arriving in the city tomorrow morning, alone, for some reconnaissance work. She prefers high places, so I would keep an eye on watch towers and the like." He walked over to the window. "Also, if you really don't want to cause any trouble, make sure her eye patch stays on her right eye."

"Wait," Leo called as he was about to jump out. "This isn't really the inn Jesus was born in, was it?" The man turned to him and smiled from beneath his hood.

"Only a complete idiot would believe what that innkeeper says." With that, he jumped out the window and entered the streets below.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Poor District**

"Hey Isaiah!" Maria called, "It's that man that was with the lady who rescued us back in Damascus!"

"You're right, Maria!" Isaiah replied, "It IS him!" They both watched as the white robed man hopped from rooftop to rooftop, making his way above the noisy streets.

"We should say hi!" Maria exclaimed.

"An excellent idea, Maria my dear!" Isaiah agreed. "Come on! We'll have to keep up if we want to talk to him properly!" The eccentric duo then dashed through the streets, shoving their way past the mass of people crowding the merchant stalls and earning many complaints from those around them. Several citizens were startled by the couple's sudden sprint through the city and ended up dropping whatever they happened to be carrying. Delicately carved pots, precious gems, freshly cooked meats and perishable fruits, all fell upon the ground as Isaiah and Maria continuously collided with the crowd in their pursuit of the white robed man.

"Hey Isaiah?" Maria asked, out of breath from their sprint.

"What's that, Maria my dear?" Isaiah replied, breathing heavily as they continued running to keep up with the man who was effortlessly gliding over the rooftops.

"Maybe… We should… Slow down a little?" she said, gasping between each word. "We're bumping into people left and right!"

"That seems… Like… A good idea…" Isaiah breathed as they slowed down to a walk, breathing heavily. "Amazing!" He exclaimed once he caught his breath. "How can he move like that? He must be the lead role in some action film!"

"But Isaiah," Maria interjected, "Did they even have movies in this time period?" Isaiah stood silent for a few moments.

"Of course not, Maria!" Isaiah finally answered. "This is the 12th century after all! Movies weren't invented until at least the 13th century!"

"So then how can he be a movie star?" Maria questioned.

"That is a very good question," Isaiah admitted, pondering it over. "I've got it! He might not be from this time period! He's probably just like us and somehow wound up here by accident!"

"So he stepped into that strange snow cone machine and got teleported here too?" Maria inquired excitedly.

"Now, while that is entirely possible," Isaiah stated, "We have no way of knowing that for sure. For all we know he could be from a very different world than where we come from."

"You mean like an alien?" Maria exclaimed. "Amazing!"

"That's exactly what I mean Maria!" Isaiah replied. "He could most definitely be an alien from outer space sent to study the ways of this planet we call Earth! Unfortunately, we can never know for sure. This conversation is merely speculation."

"Well, let's go ask him then!" Maria suggested pointing to the building up ahead. "I just saw him enter that building through the second floor window!" Isaiah followed Maria's gaze and stared at the small building.

"Onward then!" he proclaimed as they marched towards it. Upon closer inspection, they soon discovered that the grungy old building in front of them was in fact an inn. Other than the decaying walls of the building's façade, it had absolutely no distinguishing features. It was very easy to overlook, and those wishing to stay in it would have to know of its presence beforehand. The couple looked over the building with curiosity. "Holy Hay Inn…" Isaiah read aloud from the wooden sign that was haphazardly nailed onto the building's surface. He reached out to open the door, only to jump back in surprise as the door swung open for him. On the other side was a short, skinny man with tan skin and short black hair. He grinned wildly at the couple and beckoned them inside.

"Welcome to the Holy Hay Inn!" he exclaimed, his hazel eyes sparkling. "Come in, come in! Come see the birthplace of a miracle!" The couple stared at him blankly. The innkeeper gave them a disapproving look. "Don't tell me you don't know? This, my friends, is the birthplace of Christ, our holy savior!" Upon hearing this, the couple gasped in awe as they took in the interior of the building. It was very simple in decoration. An old, shabby rug lay stretched out and worn across the floor. A wooden table was situated in the corner with a few chairs scattered around it. The lobby desk looked like it had seen better days, its surface worn and cracked from years of use.

"Wow Isaiah!" Maria cried, examining what little decorations they had on the rough stone walls. "I can't believe we're really inside the inn where Jesus was born!"

"Yes, it's incredible!" Isaiah agreed, walking along the border of the carpet. The innkeeper smiled brighter.

"If you would like, I can give you the very room that he was born in!" he suggested.

"Really?" The couple exclaimed simultaneously. The man nodded.

"Yes!" he replied. "And only for 50 gold coins per night!" Isaiah and Maria looked at each other before huddling into a corner.

"It seems like a pretty good deal," Isaiah whispered. "We have enough money to last us here a few nights thanks to our friends back in Damascus. And since that man is here too, it gives us more reason to stay."

"Not to mention we're getting the exact room that Christ was birthed in!" Maria whispered back excitedly. Isaiah nodded and turned back to the innkeeper.

"We'll take it!" he announced, taking out a leather pouch and handing the man the money for the night's stay. The innkeeper's smile only grew.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed, reaching behind the counter and grabbing a set of keys. "Please, follow me!" He led them up an old, stone stairwell in the back of the room. Once they arrived on the second floor, he led them a few doors down the corridor before choosing one and unlocking it. The room was nothing special. Two cots stood by the west wall with a wooden table between them. The rug was just as shabby and worn as the one in the lobby, and there were absolutely no decorations adorned on the blank, stone walls. "Enjoy your stay!" the innkeeper said as he handed Isaiah the keys and left. The couple barely noticed him leave, for they were too busy admiring the room.

"This is amazing Isaiah!" Maria exclaimed in awe as she took in every detail around her.

"It most certainly is, Maria my dear!" Isaiah agreed, opening the creaky wooden shutters on the far wall and looking out the window.

"So Isaiah," Maria asked, "Which room do you think he went into?" Isaiah turned his back to the window and pondered over it.

"That is a very good question, my dear," Isaiah replied, stroking his chin. "I suppose we'll just have to go around the rooms and listen for his voice."

"You mean eavesdropping?" Maria inquired.

"Of course not!" Isaiah exclaimed, slightly offended. "We are doing no such thing! We are simply listening to other people's conversations without them knowing to find and thank the man we saw earlier!"

"Oh, that makes perfect sense!" Maria cried with glee. "Let's get to it!"

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Damascus Poor District—Souk Al Silaah**

Sonya stared into the crowd, her eye patch now covering her left eye. She watched in amazement as everyone went back to what they were doing, as if Tamir hadn't just brutally killed a man and left his body to rot in the fountain a few seconds ago. Altair was on the other side of the fountain, blending with the crowd as he made his way behind the black market merchant. She could faintly see his hidden blade gleaming in the sunlight as he prepared to strike. Sonya placed a hand on her sword, ready to draw it at any moment. She watched Altair strike Tamir from behind, then gently place him on the ground. It took a few moments for the nearby guards to realize what happened before charging after Altair. Sonya quickly unsheathed her sword and ran up to defend the assassin. The clang of metal against metal rang throughout the market as Sonya blocked a blow to the assassin's head. The crowd that was so calm before now turned into a mob of panicking citizens as they cleared away.

"I could use some help here," Sonya demanded as she blocked another blade aiming for her heart. Altair was now taking the white feather the rafik had given him earlier and smearing it with Tamir's blood. As he was doing this, one of the guards raised his sword and prepared to strike down, but found the path blocked by Sonya's blade. Without waiting for him to react, she kicked him as hard as she could in the groin and sent him stumbling back a few feet. A loud groan was heard behind her and she turned to see Altair's sword being pulled out of a guard's chest.

"You're too soft," he stated, slashing open another guard's guts. "We are instruments of death, and we show no mercy to our enemies." Sonya simply grunted as she jabbed someone in the head with the handle of her blade.

"I'd rather avoid getting my clothes bloody today," she muttered. At that moment, Altair had split open a guard's neck, causing his blood to spray all over her robes. She glared at him, but he just smiled smugly at her. By this time, the rest of the guards had fled the scene, and the two assassins stood alone in the middle of a bloody mess.

"Let's go before they call for reinforcements," Altair said, sheathing his sword. Sonya nodded and moved her eye patch back to her right eye.

"I can't believe you got blood all over my robes," she muttered as they walked through the streets. "My new, white robes… Whose bright idea was it to make them white, anyway?"

"It's your fault for not dodging the spray," Altair replied. Sonya pouted and turned her head away from him.

"A heads up would have been nice," she muttered, crossing her arms. Altair remained silent as they continued towards the bureau. They had to move carefully through the streets, or else they would alert the guards. Luckily, it was particularly crowded that day and they could blend easily with the moving mass of people. Sonya looked around at the street vendors, taking in the various goods, when suddenly her head snapped up. She came to a halt and tugged on Altair's sleeve. "Hey, Altair!" The assassin turned around and looked at her.

"What?" he asked impatiently. Sonya paused, listening for a moment.

"How long have those bells been going off?" she asked. Silence passed between them as they stared at each other. After a moment, Altair shook his head and continued walking. "IT WAS AN HONEST QUESTION!" she yelled after him. A passing group of guards gave her a funny look and started walking towards her. Altair cursed under his breath and grabbed Sonya's arm, pulling her through the crowd. "WHAT THE HELL? DON'T PULL SO HARD! YOU'LL RIP MY ARM OFF!" she complained as he led her into an alley.

"Stop yelling," Altair hissed, "you'll draw more attention to us!"

"I'LL YELL AS MUCH AS I—MMM!" Before she could finish her sentence, Altair had restrained her body with one arm and was covering her mouth with his other hand. However, her muffled screams could still be heard down the street.

"I said stop yelling," he growled into her ear. Sonya stopped struggling and stood absolutely still. Just then, the guards that had passed them earlier ran down the street, past the alleyway they were in. Once they had disappeared from sight, Altair released his grip on her and continued down the alley to the ladder that led to the bureau. Sonya followed a few feet behind him, muttering obscenities under her breath. Once they had entered the welcoming environment of the bureau's main chamber, she dove head first into the pile of pillows.

"OH GREAT FLUFFY BALLS OF WHATEVER YOU'RE MADE OF!" she yelled to no one in particular, "I HAVE MISSED YOU SO!" Altair ignored her and went on to present the rafik with his bloodied feather. Sonya tuned them out as they conversed and buried her face in one of the pillows. She could feel her eyelids growing heavy as she tried to fight off sleep. She knew Altair would chastise her later if she dozed off this early in the day. But her efforts were futile, and soon she drifted off into the world of dreams.

* * *

><p>*"What happened to the stuff, Vidic?" Lucy asked.<p>

Vidic scowls supremely and throws his arms up angrily, "I'm what happened! I decided to save your sorry pile of flesh, Lucy. How could you let this happen to the thing most precious to me that I don't know or care about? I should've dealt with you a long time ago! You've had this coming for quite some time. I think I'll just feed you to those vicious wolf people that insist that their Romulus is true!"

"Don't pin this on me! You're the source of all the evil in the world!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Insolent child! You shall pay!" With this, Vidic roughly grabbed Lucy by the arm and begins to drag her to the time travel device.*

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Kingdom—A small village somewhere…**

Sonya awoke with a start and nearly fell off her horse in the process. She looked around, startled, and found Altair sitting on his mare, trotting along beside her. Silently, he handed her the reigns to her horse and trotted ahead. She nodded at him, still baffled about what had happened. She stared at the reigns in her hand and tried to recall what happened. They had left Damascus. She had fallen asleep somewhere along the way. When she woke up, Altair was holding the reigns. After a moment, she gasped in realization and nearly fell off of her horse again. Steadying herself, she gazed at the assassin in front of her.

"H-He was holding the reigns," she stammered, still in shock. "He was holding the reigns, to keep my horsey from wandering off while I slept…" Sonya continued to stare in wonder. "Why didn't he just wake me up?" This wasn't like the assassin she had been traveling with for the past few days. After a few seconds had passed, she came to another startling realization and broke into a gallop to catch up with him. Once their horses were side by side, she stood on her saddle and flung herself at him, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.

"Sonya!" he cried, "WHAT THE HELL?" Sonya just sat on top of him with a scowl on her face.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE REAL ALTAIR?" she yelled, shaking him violently.

"What are you talking about?" he exclaimed, confused and dizzy.

"THE REAL ALTAIR WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERATE ENOUGH TO KEEP MY HORSEY FROM WANDERING OFF WHILE I SLEPT!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I'LL ASK AGAIN, WHO ARE YOU?" Before she knew it, Altair had thrown her off and was now pinning her to the ground.

"That's the last time I ever do something nice for you if that's how you're going to react," he growled softly. Sonya gazed up at him, a confused look on her face. They stared at each other for a moment before Altair finally let her up. Apparently, they had attracted a crowd, for now a ring of villagers had surrounded them. As Sonya looked over the crowd, they quickly dispersed and went about their business. "You're so troublesome to have around," Altair sighed, getting back on his horse.

"Well, next time don't surprise me with sudden kindness," she muttered, walking over to her own.

"It's better than no kindness," Altair replied. Sonya froze in her tracks and looked around. Her horse was nowhere to be seen. She then turned and glared at Altair.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP MY HORSEY FROM WANDERING OFF AGAIN?" she cried, flailing her arms.

Altair shrugged, "First of all, you had me pinned to the ground. Secondly, I thought you didn't want my kindness."

"I NEVER SAID THAT!" Sonya exclaimed, flailing her arms some more. Altair smirked as he watched her panic, but his smile quickly faded and his body stiffened. Sonya sensed the change in mood and stopped causing such a commotion. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to find her dark, mahogany horse standing behind her with another assassin next to him.

"Looking for this?" he asked, handing her the reigns. Sonya took them hesitantly as she stared at him.

"Salil, what are you doing here?" she asked, bewildered.

"Surprised?" he asked, "I was in the area when I heard the commotion you two were causing." He looked over at Altair, who was now staring intensely at him. "So, you won't let me flirt with you yet you'll let him pin you to the ground like that?" Sonya pouted and turned away indignantly.

"I-It's n-n-not like I'm s-s-strong e-enough t-to take h-h-h-him," she muttered through gritted teeth. Salil gave her a curious look.

"But I thought you said—"

"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!" she exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth with her hands. "I-I mean, I know I said all that stuff, but…"

"Ah, I see," Salil stated, "It was nothing but talk, wasn't it?" Sonya opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. Frustrated, she hopped onto her horse, and silently trotted away. Altair followed behind her as they left the small village. Once they were a few meters away from the town, he rode up beside her with a serious look on his face.

"Who was that?" he demanded in a soft, yet harsh tone. Sonya looked back over her shoulder and then at him.

"His name is Salil," Sonya answered. "I met him in Damascus while gathering information on Tamir. He's an assassin like us."

"Are you sure about that?" Altair questioned, the harsh tone was still present in his voice.

" Yeah," Sonya nodded, "I mean, that's what he told me. And he wears the same robes as us…" Her voice trailed off as she focused on her horse's gait. "What are you getting at?" Altair just grunted and turned his attention to the road ahead.

* * *

><p><strong>2011 AD<strong>

**A random southbound highway…**

Rush hour traffic was such a pain… I stared out into the rows of cars that stretched for miles on the highway. I was already late as it is, and this wasn't going to help my employee record. Multiple horns resounded down the lane as people expressed their frustration. I slumped back in my seat as I felt a migraine coming on. I attempted to drown out the chorus of honking horns with the radio, but this was a wasted act for some rather unpleasant songs started playing. This was what passed for good music these days? Turning off the radio, I bashed my head against the steering wheel repeatedly. This was torture. I stared at the cars in front of me, imagining a giant whirlwind would come and sweep them all away, leaving the road open for me to drive. While a magical whirlwind didn't come, the next best thing happened. I literally bounced with joy as the traffic began to move. They had rapidly picked up the pace now and I was now zooming through the cars to get to work. I looked at the clock and cursed. I was thirty minutes late. I'm sure to get a lecture for this… As I pulled into the parking lot, I took out my ID badge and showed it to the security guard.

"Late again, I see," he commented, inspecting my badge.

"The traffic was unbelievable today," I explained, rushing into the building.

"Miss!" the guard called, holding up my ID. I ran back and snatched the card away, then headed back into the building.

"Abstergo Industries, please hold," the receptionist said into the phone, filing her nails behind the desk. I gave her a slight nod and rushed over to the elevator. I punched in the button for the third floor and waited impatiently as it carried me up through the shaft. A ding could be heard as the elevator stopped and I tapped my foot rapidly as the doors slowly opened themselves. Not waiting for them to open all the way, I squeezed through the gap and sprinted to my office. As I opened the door, a look of shock flashed across my face, which quickly turned to panic. A strange couple was standing inside the machine.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my eyes falling across the machine's monitor. "Oh no…" I gasped, running towards the couple. "QUICK! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE!" The glass door closed before I could reach them and I banged loudly against it, shouting about how they shouldn't be in there. I sighed exasperatedly as the man simply mouthed something which I could not understand. Giving up on the door, I turned to the monitor and started punching in random numbers, trying to abort the operation. But it was too late. Before I knew it, the room was filled with a bright light, and the couple had disappeared. I stared in disbelief at the machine, sinking to my knees. Just then my boss burst into the room.

"What is all this yelling?" he demanded, staring at me as I picked myself up off the floor.

"I-Uh…" How would I explain it to him? This was not my day… "Somehow, a strange couple made their way into the machine and… activated… it…" I muttered nervously, watching his face. Instead of anger, his expression turned into one of pleasure.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" he stated gleefully. I stared at him in disbelief.

"I-It is?" I stammered, confused by his reaction.

"Of course it is!" he exclaimed. "It saves me the cost of searching for human guinea pigs! What an extraordinary turn of events!" He gave me a large pat on the back and turned to leave my office. "I'm expecting you to monitor their activity. Good work!" With that, he exited the room and slammed the door. I stood there dazed and confused. I wasn't in trouble. I wasn't going to get fired. Once I was sure he was out of earshot I jumped up into the air and cheered. But now I had a new problem. I quickly turned to the machine to locate where the couple had been transported. A window popped up on the screen displaying the necessary information.

"So, they were transported to the Holy Land," I murmured, looking at the date. "Looks like they're gonna live through the Third Crusade." I watched as they interacted within the area, causing a commotion and getting beat up by some of the city guards. What a corrupt law system. My eyes were glued to the screen as I noticed something else. A white donned figure was heading towards them. It couldn't be. I watched as she took out the guards without breaking a sweat, leaving them unconscious on the ground. I paused the screen to take a good look at her face. "Subject 11…"

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Rich District – Assassin's Bureau**

Dust floated about the room haphazardly as I reorganized the shelves with various books and scrolls. It's been about a week since I first moved to this city, and so far, it's brought nothing but memories. The incident in Solomon's Temple is still fresh in my mind. I've tried to take my mind off of it by busying myself with cleaning up the bureau, dusting furniture and organizing the various scrolls that lay strewn about. These tasks were considerably harder with just one arm to aid me. At least I still have my dominant arm so most of these chores were manageable. But now that was nearly done and I would have to find another way to keep my thoughts occupied. Occasionally, Levana would visit to make sure I was adjusting well to the lack of a limb, but her presence was more of a nuisance than a comfort. As if on cue, a loud thud resounded throughout the bureau and I poked my head through the doorway into the main chamber. Levana stood from her crouched position and dusted herself off. Noticing my presence, she looked up and smiled mischievously at me.

"Time to take your medicine, Malik!" she said in a cheery tone, holding up a suspicious looking pouch. I backed away nervously, wishing there was an actual door instead of an empty doorway with nothing to stop her advance.

"I don't think that's necessary, Levana," I said, weighing my odds of escape with just one arm. They weren't looking good. Maybe I could convince her not to intoxicate me? "My arm stopped hurting a long time ago."

"Nonsense!" she chirped, coming closer. "You can't recover from an injury like that so quickly! It's bound to hurt a little!"

"Honestly, it's fine!" I exclaimed, waving the stump around so she would see for herself. Her advance continued regardless.

"I don't care how many times you say it doesn't hurt," she said, an evil grin upon her face. "In order to make sure your wound is fully healed, an overdose is sometimes necessary." Damn, there was no changing her mind once it was made up. I was backed into a corner now, literally. I quickly looked around the room for something useful, but saw nothing that could aid me. "Open wide…" she teased, her smile growing bigger. A brash idea came to mind, one that could end with me losing another arm or a leg. Either way, I was not coming out of this uninjured. Once she was a few feet away from me, I quickly took off my Dai robes and threw it at her face, blocking her view.

"Ah-HA!" I shouted triumphantly, making my way around her and into the main chamber. But my victory was short-lived, for now I had no way of scaling the wall. There really should be a ladder in this place… Pushing the thought aside, I gripped the wall and attempted to climb it anyway.

"MALIIIIIK!" Levana yelled angrily as she pulled me off the wall and slammed me against the floor. "You are going to take your medicine and you are going to like it!" I struggled to push her off, but it was futile and she had me pinned down within seconds. "Get ready Malik," she said with an evil glimmer in her eyes. I'll admit, I panicked a little, making my next move a bit unorthodox. I spit in her face. "GAH WHAT THE FUCK?" Levana recoiled and I swiftly pushed her aside and attempted to scale the wall again. I made it about halfway up before I was dragged back down by a very angry arm. Levana glared at me, fire burning brightly in her eyes. "SIE SCHEIßE-KOPF!" she yelled angrily in German and prepared to shove the drugs down my throat.

"…Am I interrupting something?" We both looked up to see a white robed figure standing before us with a pigeon on his shoulder, his dark green eyes seemingly staring into our souls. Levana stood and helped me up off the ground, stashing the pouch in her robes.

"Oh, it was nothing," she answered in a cheery tone, "I was just giving Malik his medicine, that's all. You must be a fellow assassin."

"My name is Salil," he greeted, taking the pigeon and handing it over to me. "I was wandering about the city when this little guy landed on my shoulder. I saw that he had a note on him with our symbol on it and thought to bring it to you."

"Thank you," I said, a bit taken aback. Carefully, I untied the small piece of parchment attached to its leg and started to read. Without hesitation, the bird jumped up and flew out of the bureau. Levana leaned towards me and peered over my shoulder at the note.

"What's it say?" she asked, trying to get a good look at the tiny script. Annoyed, I shoved her away and read it over.

"Sonya's coming…" I said incredulously, reading it again to make sure I hadn't misread something. "She has been sent to the city for reconnaissance work and should be here by tomorrow…"

"Are you sure?" Levana snatched the note from my hand and read it herself. She then crumpled it up and tossed it away. "I guess with HER around I won't be able to peacefully give you your medicine…" she mumbled before climbing out of the bureau. _PRAISE ALLAH! _I thought in my head as she disappeared into the outside world.

"Well, I'd best be off!" Salil commented, scurrying up the wall after her. "I've still got one last thing to attend to in this city." As I watched him leave, I couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. But I quickly pushed the thought to the back of my mind and went back to cleaning. After that little mishap, the bureau was messier than ever, and I had to make sure it was nice and tidy by tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Poor District—Holy Hay Inn**

"It seems like all of our targets so far have been crazies and the like," Leo sighed and sat down on the bed next to Rena. "Sonya… That bastard really didn't give us much information on her character…" He muttered to himself. "Ah well, she's probably just as psychotic as the others." The woman beside him said nothing as she stood and walked to the door. "Rena…?" She silently opened the door and stood out of the way as the odd couple who had been leaning against it tumbled inside. Leo stared in shock as a moment of silence passed before they began scrambling about the floor.

"Oh dear it seems I have dropped my contacts!" The man stated loudly as he searched the floor.

"You are so clumsy Isaiah!" The woman exclaimed awkwardly as she helped him.

"Ah! There it is!" The man known as Isaiah yelled, holding up his hand as if to show them something clutched between his fingers. Leo looked at his hand carefully but could see absolutely nothing.

"Wonderful!" The woman cheered, taking his hand and staring at the empty void between his fingers. "Yup! That's definitely it!"

"Of course it is, Maria my dear!" Isaiah agreed, standing up and facing the tenants of the room. "Good day, citizens, but we must be off!" With that, the couple turned and ran out of the room, down the hall, and most likely out of the building. Baffled, Leo stared at Rena, who had done absolutely nothing to stop them.

"They are of no danger to us," she answered, as if reading his thoughts. Leo looked down the hall skeptically.

"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully. Rena simply nodded and walked out of the room. "If you say so…" he muttered in reply. He knew better than to doubt her judgment.

"Supplies," she said. "Need to be ready."

"Right…" Leo muttered. "I suppose I'll go looking around the city then. Better to know the environment should our target decide to run."

**The next morning**

**Jerusalem Rich District**

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" Leo snapped his head up at the sudden disturbance and surveyed the area. He had liberated his clothes from an unsuspecting guard earlier and positioned himself outside of the main gate into Jerusalem's rich district, giving him a clear view of the chaos unfolding before him. The mass of people moving out of the city and walking up the path had been split apart without warning. The screams of men and women alike resounded throughout the air as they scattered in all directions. A dark, mahogany horse galloped straight through the crowd at lightning speed. As it got closer, Leo could see that its rider was donned in white, flowing robes.

"Ahhh…" Leo groaned, "Don't tell me _that's_ our target!" He watched as the horse drew closer, hoping to get a better look at its rider. However, the guards around him had just been alerted to the commotion and drew their swords. The horse never slowed its pace, and within the next few seconds, Leo could see why. Streaming in from the path was a large crowd of soldiers, all in hot pursuit. "What the hell…?" Leo continued to stare dumbfounded as the horse drew closer and closer. Suddenly, it veered off to the side, where the stables were, and threw off its rider. As the figure collided with the hard ground, Leo could see a few gold coins flying through the air and into the stable hand's unsuspecting palms.

"Keep the change…" The hooded figure muttered through mouthfuls of dirt before rising to their feet. As the figure's face was revealed, Leo groaned inwardly. It was a young woman with wavy black hair nearly reaching her shoulders. Her left eye was a brilliant blue color while her right eye was covered with an eye patch; an eye patch that soon fell to the dusty ground beneath them, revealing her bloodstained right eye. A mischievous smile spread across her lips as she watched the group of guards in front of her, paying no mind to the soldiers drawing near her from behind. Leo cursed silently to himself as he walked through the gate back into the city.

"There's no point trying to capture her with all those guards and soldiers around," he said to himself. "Perhaps I can just—" his thoughts were cut short as the guards behind him cried out in pain. Before he could turn around, a white blur flashed by him and raced down the streets followed by the mob of soldiers, though slightly decreased in size.

"ASSASSIN!" One of them shouted as they continued their pursuit. This sent the town into a frenzy as citizens scrambled through the streets in an attempt to not get involved. Leo started after them but stopped short and looked up into the sky. A large hawk soared above him in a circle before changing directions and flying towards the northern part of the city. Rena was signaling him. He took one last look at his fleeing target before complying with the predatory bird in the sky. Leaving the chaotic scene behind, he followed the hawk down the streets of the rich district. Occasionally he ended up getting lost in the crowd but eventually regained visual of the bird again as he pushed on.

"No need to chase," Rena said monotonously as the hawk landed on her outstretched arm. Leo was still scaling the building as she spoke and after a moment of intensive climbing he poked his head up over the edge to look at her. "Assassin's Bureau located," she said again as he hauled himself up over the parapet. They had situated themselves on top of a lookout tower, the whole of the rich district perfectly visible from where they stood.

"You couldn't pick someplace that was easier to access?" Leo gasped, exhausted from the climb. "Speaking of which, how did you get up here?" Rena pointed towards the door behind her.

"Stairs were open," she stated simply. Leo stood dumbfounded for a second before giving himself a mentally slapping himself.

"Thank you for the wasted energy," he muttered bitterly to his twin sister. Without saying a word, she pointed to the southwestern part of the city.

"In that direction," she stated before turning and walking through the doorway. Leo stared in the direction she pointed for a moment before silently following.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Rich District—Assassin's Bureau**

I was angry. No, I was furious. No, I was furiously angry beyond words. In all my years I had never seen anyone pull off a stunt this stupid. However, the stump of my left arm reminded me that I had. I sighed and looked over at the girl cowering in the corner of the main entrance by the fountain. Although I knew full well that she was no longer a girl, her behavior at this moment convinced me otherwise. I stepped out from behind the counter and walked towards her.

"So," I began, "You are the one responsible for that commotion outside." She cringed at the sternness of my voice and kept her gaze to the floor. Only her left eye was visible since the right one was now covered up by some muslin in place of her eye patch. For a moment neither of us spoke and she fidgeted uncomfortably in her position.

"I'm sorry…" she finally said, still keeping her gaze to the floor. I laughed humorlessly.

"Sorry?" I repeated. "SORRY? THE WHOLE DISTRICT IS IN AN UPROAR BECAUSE OF YOU!" I bellowed loudly, causing the pigeons nesting in their coops to scatter off in a fright. "Tell me something, Sonya," I watched as she shrank back further at the mention of her name, "What in Allah's name possessed you to run around the city LIKE A MADWOMAN?" I exclaimed, my voice getting louder with each word. Sonya looked up and opened her mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it and stared at the fountain next to her. I gave an exasperated sigh and walked back to the counter. "Mission or not," I said, "You are confined to this bureau until further notice." Her head jerked up at this and she stood shakily.

"But Al Mualim—" she started before I cut her off with a wave of my hand.

"I do not care Sonya," I snapped at her. "What you did today is not acceptable for an assassin. You deliberately broke the first two tenants of our creed! You brought unnecessary attention to yourself and harmed many innocents while you paraded through the city as if it were your own! If I could I would demote you on the spot…" I turned away from her and went back to sorting the various scrolls and tomes that lay on the shelves.

"I told them to move…" She muttered almost inaudibly. Turning back to her I slammed a tome upon the desk and glared at her.

"That does not change the fact that you plowed straight through that line of civilians, possibly breaking numerous bones in the process!" My head throbbed slightly as my blood rushed to my face and opened up to the middle section of the book. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you enjoyed running them down." I heard Sonya shift uncomfortably where she stood.

"Well, maybe they found some fun in it as well…" she muttered shyly. My finger stopped halfway across the page and I looked up at her in disbelief.

"You think getting stampeded by a horse is _fun_?" I asked her harshly. Sonya stared back at me with her brilliant blue eye.

"There could have been some masochists in that crowd!" she exclaimed pleadingly. My jaw fell slightly when her words reached my ears, but I quickly shook it off and gave her a cold stare. She quickly looked away and folded her hands in front of her.

"Even if there were," I finally said after a moment, "it still does not excuse your actions. My punishment still stands. Besides, every damn guard in the city is looking for you and it wouldn't do us much good to have you captured." _Although that actually might do us a world of good_, I thought to myself. "Now make yourself useful and sort out these maps." I gestured to the pile of scrolls to my right and put the tome back on the shelf. Sonya solemnly complied as I continued to sift through the various books to be sorted. My anger had died a little at this point and was replaced with shock. I still couldn't fathom how she had managed to attract the attention of nearly every guard in Jerusalem. Not only that, but she had somehow also attracted most of the troops stationed around the city. This was not going to be an easy week for my brothers. It would only take a small spark to ignite the fuel she had created, and certainly the mere sight of an assassin would be that spark. As if on cue, a soft thud was heard from the main chamber.

"Safety and peace Malik," the assassin greeted as he walked through the doorway.

"To you as well," I replied, turning away from my work to greet him. "Al Mualim has sent word of your mission. You are free to go about it as you wish, as long as you do not follow _her_ example," I warned, gesturing to Sonya.

"So you're the one responsible for the panic out there?" The assassin chuckled as she looked away sheepishly and continued sorting the maps. "You know, you look much less hostile without that eye patch," he stated, taking notice of the muslin wrapped around her eye. Sonya stopped what she was doing and put a hand up to the cloth as if she just realized it was there. I watched her face carefully, concerned about the thoughts passing through her mind. She then turned to me with a pleading eye.

"Malik—"

"My punishment still stands, Sonya," I interjected, turning away from her. "You are confined to this bureau until further notice.

"I need that—"

"That piece of muslin wrapped around your head is doing just fine," I said sternly. "You do not need to go hunting all over the city for a useless eye patch. Besides, I'm sure the guards are sweeping every area of this city for you."

"They need not know that it is me," she said suddenly. "I could change my robes, wrap my head with a shawl, they wouldn't know the difference." I looked up at her then. There was a deep-set resolution in her eye, and I knew it was too late to change her mind. No matter how much I would chide at her, there was no stopping her at this point. I sighed in resignation and turned back to my work.

"One hour," I said bluntly. I heard the sound of rustling clothes behind me and turned to see Sonya taking off her robes. "NOT IN HERE!" I exclaimed, stepping out from behind the counter and shoving her into a secluded area within the bureau. When I returned to the counter I could feel my face burning and tried to busy myself with sorting the maps Sonya had discarded carelessly.

"That's too bad," the assassin said solemnly, "I would have loved to see a show—" I shot him a glare that immediately shut him up. "Right, well I think I'll go about my mission now," he said awkwardly and scaled the fountain out of the bureau.

"How do I look?" Sonya's sudden appearance almost caused me to jump back in shock. She was hardly recognizable under her new garb and had she not said anything I would have thought her an intruder. Wrapped around her body was a light brown dress that extended from her neck down to her feet. Around her head was a shawl that covered her entire face except her eyes and seemed to be made of the same material as her dress. She smiled at me through her eye and twirled in place. "Pretty inconspicuous, huh? Not only am I a great free runner, but I'm an amazing seamstress too!" I had to mentally slap myself to keep from staring. This was the most feminine I had seen her in a long time. However, something struck me as odd.

"…Where did you get the fabric?" I inquired. She immediately stopped twirling and turned around awkwardly.

"Oh… You know, I… Found it…" she murmured softly before turning on her heels and marching into the main chamber. "If I were you, I wouldn't go into your bedroom anytime soon," she said quickly as she scaled the wall and jumped out of the building. A sudden feeling of dread overtook me as I made my way to the back of the bureau. I entered my bedroom and stopped short in the doorway, my mouth agape with shock. Sonya's clothes were lying on the floor in a heap next to the tattered ruins of what were my bed sheets.

* * *

><p><strong>1181 AD<strong>

**Masyaf—Assassin tower**

It was getting late. The sun turned a pinkish hue as it began to sink below the mountains. Soon it would be night time, and the air would be very chilly. A young child, about ten years old with an eye patch covering her right eye, stood atop the tower. She stared at the piles of hay lying on the ground so far below. She stood frozen, her face pale as she scurried away from the edge. Three older boys stood behind her, one crossing his arms impatiently. The girl crept back to the edge and peered over, then quickly scurried back again.

"If we don't hurry, the sun will go down and we'll be stranded here in the dark," One of the boys complained. "Can't we just push her off?" The other two boys stared incredulously at him and one shook his head. He then walked over to the girl and knelt down beside her.

"It's okay, Sonya," he smiled, "There's a reason they call it the Leap of Faith." He then stood and walked over to the wooden plank. Spreading his arms out, he jumped off, disappearing from view.

"Kadar!" Sonya yelled, crawling over to the edge, expecting to see his mangled body lying on the ground. Instead, Kadar poked his head out of one of the piles of hay and waved to her.

"See?" Another one of the boys said, approaching her. "It's nothing to be afraid of." Sonya stared at him, looked back down at Kadar, who was now brushing hay off of his robes, and looked back up at the boy.

"Malik…" she whispered softly, "will you do it with me?" The boy behind them scoffed and muttered something under his breath. Malik simply ignored him and took her hand.

"Sure," he said, leading her over to the wooden plank. "On the count of three…" Sonya nodded and held her breath, gripping his hand tightly. "One… two…"

"THREE!" yelled the other boy as he ran up and shoved both of them off of the wooden plank. As if time had slowed, Sonya fell through the air, feeling almost weightless. She screamed, but not from fear. This feeling of weightlessness, the adrenaline coursing through her body; she loved every moment of it. But it all ended too quickly as they landed in the pile of soft hay. Malik had let go of her hand at this point and exited the hay pile. She could hear his muffled yells through the dense wall of hay.

"Altair, you bastard!" he shouted. "You could've—Wait! Sonya's still—" Sonya squealed as another body entered the hay pile. She hurriedly tried to find a way out as she dug through the wall of straw. Suddenly, she felt something grab her arm, and was pulled out into the cool night air. "Are you alright?" Malik asked, concerned. Sonya looked up at him and Kadar, a smile on her face.

"Can we do it again?" The two boys stared at her before bursting into laughter. At this point, Altair had exited the hay pile.

"_Can we do it again?"_ he mimicked. "Jeez, this girl…" he trailed off and started muttering to himself. Malik glared at him and turned back to Sonya.

"It's late," he stated, "Perhaps tomorrow." Sonya nodded as she took his hand and led him back to the dormitory. Kadar laughed and chased after them while Altair followed at his own pace.

* * *

><p><strong>1191 AD<strong>

**Jerusalem Rich District**

Sonya ran from the bureau as quickly as possible without being too conspicuous. Once she had decided that she was a safe distance away from Malik, she slowed her pace and started to breathe easier.

"All this stress for an eye patch," she muttered to herself. "The heat must be getting to me." Pushing the thought aside, she made her way through the crowded streets, determined to finish what she had started. There was no way she could go back to the bureau now, not after brutally mutilating Malik's bed. She decided it was best to let him cool off before she ever attempted to set foot in that building again. "Yes," she stated aloud to no one in particular. "I am absolutely positive that I cannot go back to the bureau now, seeing as I haven't been paying attention to where I was going and am now thoroughly lost in an unfamiliar city." Sonya sighed with exasperation and attempted to retrace her steps. However the bustling crowds that filled the streets made it nearly impossible to navigate. "Perhaps if I just keep walking, I'll eventually make a giant circle and be back there in no time." With a resolute nod, she marched on with determination. About thirty minutes later, she found herself in a strange alleyway, even more hopelessly lost than ever before.

"Maybe I can get a better view of the city from above," she wondered, checking to make sure there were no witnesses as she began to scale the building.

"Excuse me miss," said a voice, "You wouldn't happen to have some spare change, would you?" Sonya turned in surprise and stared at the woman who had suddenly appeared before her.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I'm probably just as poor as you." The woman looked as if she did not accept that as an answer.

"Please!" she pleaded. "I'm poor and sick and hungry!" Sonya stared at her doubtfully and turned back to the building.

"I'm sorry," she said, a hint of finality in her voice as she scaled the building. "I have nothing to give—WAH!" Sonya stopped short as a rock flew past her head and hit the wall space next to her.

"I need food!" The beggar lady exclaimed. "Surely there must be something!" Sonya quickly darted up the wall as more rocks started bombarding her. She rolled up onto the rooftop and scooted as far away from the edge as possible.

"That lady should be locked up in some mental asylum!" she commented, dusting herself off.

"You there!" Sonya froze and turned to face the archer who had apparently been stationed on the very rooftop she was on. "You are not supposed to be up here!" he warned, fitting an arrow into his bow. Sonya instinctively reached for her sword, but cursed silently when she felt nothing around her waist. Most of her equipment had been left at the bureau. "Leave now!" The archer commanded, pulling back the drawstring. Sonya began to weigh the odds. Stay and fight the archer and possibly be killed, or go back down to the mentally insane beggar lady and be pummeled with rocks yet survive with a few bruises. Her decision came in less than a second.

"I suppose I'll stay," she told the archer, removing her shawl. The archer glared at her and let go of the drawstring without hesitation. The arrow whizzed by at lightning speed, just barely missing the side of Sonya's head. The muslin around her right eye fell silently to the ground after being cut by the passing arrow. She smiled mischievously and charged towards him. Before he could react, Sonya had covered the ten meters between them and grabbed his head forcefully, shoving it hard into the hard stone roof. He was out cold. "Now let's see if I can find a good vantage point…" Sonya scanned the surrounding buildings before her eyes fell upon a watch tower a few rooftops away. Smiling to herself, she sprinted across the buildings, covering the distance fairly easily.

"Please!" Sonya stopped at the edge of one of the buildings and slowly poked her head over the side. What she saw nearly made her fall off the roof. The beggar lady that had harassed her earlier was standing at the foot of the building, looking directly at her.

"How did she find me?" Sonya muttered to herself. "Has she been following me this whole time?" She sighed and continued making her way towards the tower. "Well, if I run up the side a bit I can probably grab that loose brick up there…" She observed the structure in front of her, thinking of possible ways to scale it. "Yeah, that seems easy enough—WHAT THE?" At that moment a rock flew past her face and slightly grazed her nose.

"Please!" She heard a cry from the streets below. "I'm poor and sick and hungry!" Sonya peered over the edge of the rooftop again to see that the beggar lady was still trailing her.

"Stalker…" Sonya muttered, quickly scaling the building before more rocks could be thrown at her. She started slowing her pace once she was a good distance away from the ground. "All right, I should be high enough so that—ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Just then another rock came hurtling her way, nearly missing her left hand.

"Surely you must have some money!" The beggar exclaimed from the ground.

"I'M DIRT POOR LADY!" Sonya snapped, climbing higher. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" More rocks flew towards her as the beggar grew more persistent. "Dammit, this lady…" Sonya cursed under her breath as she climbed and then cried out in shock. One of the rocks had managed to find its way to the back of her head, causing her to lose her grip and plummet to the ground. "That lady must have one heck of a throwing arm," she murmured softly before losing consciousness.

* * *

><p>"It's about to start."<p>

My head was resting comfortably in the boy's lap as he said these words. I tilted my head up slightly, too lazy to move from my cozy position, and watched the stars. They were shining so brightly on this night, twinkling happily in their celestial homes. I reached out a small pudgy hand in an attempt to grab one. Instead my hand closed in on thin air, leaving me no rewards to reap. I sighed and put my hand back down, making myself more comfortable in the boy's lap. I felt his body shake as he laughed a smooth, velvety laugh and began stroking my hair. I was content in staying like this, atop this large grassy hill, leaning against the old pine tree. A sudden explosion pulled me from my thoughts and I shot up frightened. The boy next to me simply laughed.

"I told you it was about to start," he chuckled, pulling me towards him as more fireworks erupted in the sky. He was about fifteen, only a few years older than me. Something was so captivating about him, but I couldn't fathom what. He looked like any other fifteen year old boy I had met; a young face, short dark hair, medium build… What made him different? "You're staring again," he commented, looking at me with his one visible eye. His left was a royal blue while the right was covered by a large eye patch. But I had been around him long enough to know that it was a deep gold. Yes, it must be his eyes that captivated me so. I blushed a little as he gave me a quizzical look before turning away to watch the fireworks. The sky was a spectacle of sporadically flying colors. They danced and twirled throughout the darkness, illuminating the grass with bursts of blues, reds, and greens. Every color imaginable seemed to be racing through the sky for their chance to shine.

"Here comes the grand finale," The boy next to me whispered excitedly. Suddenly, it seemed as if the heavens themselves shook from the large explosion of colors. The sudden roar of millions of fireworks nearly left me deaf and blinded by their spectacular light. And then darkness. I rested my head in the boy's lap and closed my eyes.

"Sing me a lullaby," I muttered sleepily. I felt him laugh again as he stroked my hair once more.

_Длинный, __длинный конец__мечты_

_Стрелки часов__держать__спиннинг__в любую точку_

I grew more comfortable at the sound of his voice and sleep slowly enveloped me.

_Слова__потеряли свой смысл_

_Я оставил их__у меня в__уме_

_Я просмотрел__потерянное время_

_Но я не могу__видеть вас__еще_

His voice grew fainter, my consciousness slipping away.

_Я слегка__перемотки__часы_

_И__забыли о__далекой__времени и расстояния_

The last verses of the song slowly faded in my mind as I entered the world of dreams.

_В тот самый момент__я держал__маленькую руку_

_Я проснулся__ото сна, что__не сбудется_

* * *

><p><em>From * to * is Ally's contribution which was promised to be in the final product. BOW TO THE KITTEH'S RANDOMNESS!<em>

._. Review?


End file.
